US college enrollment keeps falling, but applications are skyrocketing at these schools
Undergraduate enrollment in America’s colleges and universities has fallen for eight consecutive years. In the fall of 2017, there were 16.8 million students enrolled in undergraduate programs, a 7% decrease from the total enrollment of 18.1 million in 2010.
The decline in college enrollment is attributable to a wide range of factors, including climbing tuition costs and the threat of a lifetime paying off student loans. The downward trend in interest in attending school is not universal, however, and some colleges and universities are reporting a surge in applicants.
Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year changes in the number of applications submitted to nearly 600 four-year post-secondary institutions to identify the 100 colleges where applications climbed the most.
100. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 45.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 34,911
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 25,910
• Acceptance rate: 55.1%
• Annual price: $28,891
99. Colorado College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 46.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,223
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,319
• Acceptance rate: 15.1%
• Annual price: $71,642
98. Kean University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 47.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,851
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 13,725
• Acceptance rate: 82.2%
• Annual price: $30,475
97. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 47.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 48,588
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 22,352
• Acceptance rate: 34.6%
• Annual price: $28,302
96. Tennessee Technological University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 47.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,143
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,103
• Acceptance rate: 64.4%
• Annual price: $26,131
95. Pratt Institute-Main
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,321
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,220
• Acceptance rate: 56.8%
• Annual price: $67,742
94. Wittenberg University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,249
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 1,987
• Acceptance rate: 72.2%
• Annual price: $53,056
93. University of California-Merced
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 22,574
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,783
• Acceptance rate: 69.8%
• Annual price: $35,663
92. California State University-East Bay
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 15,962
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 15,801
• Acceptance rate: 74.1%
• Annual price: $25,143
91. West Texas A&M University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,116
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,377
• Acceptance rate: 61.4%
• Annual price: $21,285
90. Miami University-Oxford (Ohio)
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 48.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 30,255
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 18,422
• Acceptance rate: 68.2%
• Annual price: $33,229
89. New York University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 49.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 64,007
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 29,431
• Acceptance rate: 27.7%
• Annual price: $73,566
88. Wayne State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 49.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 15,331
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 20,364
• Acceptance rate: 67.4%
• Annual price: $27,157
87. California State University-Stanislaus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 49.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,069
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,226
• Acceptance rate: 77.1%
• Annual price: $21,886
86. Ohio University-Main Campus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 50.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 26,263
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 25,968
• Acceptance rate: 73.9%
• Annual price: $28,986
85. Monmouth University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 51.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,261
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,965
• Acceptance rate: 73.9%
• Annual price: $56,979
84. Butler University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 51.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 14,635
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,334
• Acceptance rate: 65.1%
• Annual price: $59,660
83. California State University-Bakersfield
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 51.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,882
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,500
• Acceptance rate: 61.1%
• Annual price: $26,009
82. Louisiana Tech University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 51.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,952
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 12,053
• Acceptance rate: 64.8%
• Annual price: $21,267
81. New York Institute of Technology
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 51.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,945
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,029
• Acceptance rate: 76.9%
• Annual price: $58,496
80. Washington State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 52.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 22,565
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 28,198
• Acceptance rate: 73.1%
• Annual price: $27,484
79. California State University-Chico
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 52.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 23,305
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 18,423
• Acceptance rate: 67.8%
• Annual price: $24,624
78. Merrimack College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 52.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,656
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,856
• Acceptance rate: 81.5%
• Annual price: $60,055
77. University of California-Davis
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 53.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 70,952
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 32,197
• Acceptance rate: 43.4%
• Annual price: $35,177
76. Clemson University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 53.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 26,242
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 21,256
• Acceptance rate: 47.2%
• Annual price: $31,270
75. California State University-Los Angeles
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 54.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 37,396
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 25,757
• Acceptance rate: 46.4%
• Annual price: $26,139
74. University of Nevada-Las Vegas
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 55.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,872
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 28,269
• Acceptance rate: 81.1%
• Annual price: $24,035
73. University of California-Riverside
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 55.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 43,671
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 21,540
• Acceptance rate: 56.5%
• Annual price: $35,242
72. Central State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 57.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 12,517
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,004
• Acceptance rate: 48.0%
• Annual price: $19,278
71. Denison University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 58.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,540
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,376
• Acceptance rate: 37.2%
• Annual price: $66,870
70. Purdue University-Main Campus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 58.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 49,354
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 33,757
• Acceptance rate: 57.5%
• Annual price: $22,822
69. Hawaii Pacific University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 58.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,551
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,225
• Acceptance rate: 74.7%
• Annual price: $44,414
68. North Carolina A&T State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 59.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 10,661
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 11,370
• Acceptance rate: 62.2%
• Annual price: $18,136
67. East Tennessee State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 59.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,169
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 12,575
• Acceptance rate: 85.5%
• Annual price: $24,068
66. Augustana College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 59.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,750
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,696
• Acceptance rate: 59.0%
• Annual price: $54,907
65. University of California-Berkeley
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 60.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 85,044
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 32,309
• Acceptance rate: 17.1%
• Annual price: $38,066
64. Murray State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 61.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,900
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 9,087
• Acceptance rate: 86.7%
• Annual price: $23,472
63. California State University-Channel Islands
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 62.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 10,689
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,819
• Acceptance rate: 78.3%
• Annual price: $25,517
62. University of Maine
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 63.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 13,231
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,265
• Acceptance rate: 92.3%
• Annual price: $25,088
61. Seton Hall University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 64.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 16,719
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,328
• Acceptance rate: 73.2%
• Annual price: $59,670
60. Texas A&M University-Commerce
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 64.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,520
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 9,527
• Acceptance rate: 34.5%
• Annual price: $22,983
59. The University of Texas at El Paso
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 64.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,382
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 24,925
• Acceptance rate: 100.0%
• Annual price: $23,843
58. University of California-Santa Barbara
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 64.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 81,824
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 23,559
• Acceptance rate: 32.8%
• Annual price: $36,659
57. University of California-San Diego
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 65.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 88,446
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 30,143
• Acceptance rate: 34.0%
• Annual price: $32,838
56. California State University-San Marcos
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 65.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 16,514
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 15,748
• Acceptance rate: 56.8%
• Annual price: $25,325
55. University of California-Los Angeles
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 66.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 102,225
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 33,160
• Acceptance rate: 16.1%
• Annual price: $34,620
54. University of Colorado Boulder
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 66.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 36,148
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 32,113
• Acceptance rate: 79.8%
• Annual price: $31,044
53. The University of Texas at Dallas
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 66.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,791
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 19,992
• Acceptance rate: 76.0%
• Annual price: $29,286
52. Clarkson University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 66.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,000
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,154
• Acceptance rate: 65.7%
• Annual price: $68,112
51. University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 66.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 35,596
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 34,253
• Acceptance rate: 53.8%
• Annual price: $26,025
50. Loyola University Chicago
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 67.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 23,571
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 13,247
• Acceptance rate: 70.6%
• Annual price: $61,328
49. Florida Memorial University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 68.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 6,802
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 1,328
• Acceptance rate: 27.3%
• Annual price: $29,812
48. Azusa Pacific University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 68.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,939
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,239
• Acceptance rate: 60.1%
• Annual price: $54,144
47. Boise State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 71.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,876
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 24,224
• Acceptance rate: 84.0%
• Annual price: $23,076
46. Case Western Reserve University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 71.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 25,380
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 5,275
• Acceptance rate: 33.1%
• Annual price: $67,332
45. New Jersey Institute of Technology
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 72.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,254
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 9,620
• Acceptance rate: 61.4%
• Annual price: $37,738
44. Le Moyne College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 72.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,429
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,005
• Acceptance rate: 64.0%
• Annual price: $51,100
43. University of California-Irvine
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 72.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 85,092
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 30,865
• Acceptance rate: 36.5%
• Annual price: $34,261
42. University of Denver
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 74.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 19,904
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,118
• Acceptance rate: 58.0%
• Annual price: $67,656
41. Texas A&M International University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 74.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,768
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,779
• Acceptance rate: 49.6%
• Annual price: $18,549
40. Trinity University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 74.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,663
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,487
• Acceptance rate: 38.4%
• Annual price: $58,840
39. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 75.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 39,650
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 19,773
• Acceptance rate: 24.4%
• Annual price: $23,811
38. Skidmore College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 76.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 10,053
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,856
• Acceptance rate: 24.5%
• Annual price: $71,730
37. Coastal Carolina University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 76.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 18,563
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,708
• Acceptance rate: 61.2%
• Annual price: $25,520
36. Pace University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 77.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 20,944
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 9,652
• Acceptance rate: 79.6%
• Annual price: $66,499
35. Shaw University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 78.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 12,060
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 1,635
• Acceptance rate: 52.9%
• Annual price: $29,378
34. Radford University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 78.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 14,620
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,836
• Acceptance rate: 74.3%
• Annual price: $24,088
33. Southern Connecticut State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 79.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,922
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,994
• Acceptance rate: 64.9%
• Annual price: $26,810
32. Utah State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 79.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 15,555
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 28,804
• Acceptance rate: 89.1%
• Annual price: $20,504
31. University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 81.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,827
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,138
• Acceptance rate: 39.0%
• Annual price: $24,216
30. Creighton University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 81.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,727
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,738
• Acceptance rate: 72.0%
• Annual price: $54,952
29. Nova Southeastern University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 82.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,779
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 5,026
• Acceptance rate: 58.2%
• Annual price: $50,597
28. University of Washington-Seattle Campus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 82.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 44,877
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 39,015
• Acceptance rate: 46.4%
• Annual price: $27,638
27. Southern Utah University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 83.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,693
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 13,625
• Acceptance rate: 75.8%
• Annual price: $20,420
26. The New School
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 84.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,056
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,788
• Acceptance rate: 61.5%
• Annual price: $71,361
25. Ohio State University-Main Campus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 85.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 47,782
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 49,274
• Acceptance rate: 48.1%
• Annual price: $27,367
24. Howard University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 86.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 16,815
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,631
• Acceptance rate: 41.4%
• Annual price: $44,651
23. University of California-Santa Cruz
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 87.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 52,969
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 18,534
• Acceptance rate: 50.9%
• Annual price: $36,217
22. Central Washington University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 89.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,597
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 16,515
• Acceptance rate: 86.3%
• Annual price: $23,201
21. Belmont University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 91.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 7,737
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,804
• Acceptance rate: 81.2%
• Annual price: $52,760
20. Temple University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 91.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 35,880
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 31,942
• Acceptance rate: 56.7%
• Annual price: $33,004
19. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 91.7%
• 2017-2018 applications: 12,464
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 11,428
• Acceptance rate: 60.5%
• Annual price: $23,337
18. Metropolitan State University of Denver
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 92.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,435
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 24,266
• Acceptance rate: 64.3%
• Annual price: N/A
17. Clark University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 94.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,355
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,411
• Acceptance rate: 56.3%
• Annual price: $56,650
16. Rutgers University-Camden
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 99.4%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,338
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,354
• Acceptance rate: 69.3%
• Annual price: $31,934
15. University of Utah
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 101.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 22,400
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 29,276
• Acceptance rate: 66.2%
• Annual price: $24,472
14. University of Nebraska at Omaha
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 101.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,158
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 14,566
• Acceptance rate: 86.5%
• Annual price: $22,300
13. University of Memphis
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 102.1%
• 2017-2018 applications: 13,741
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 19,958
• Acceptance rate: 84.8%
• Annual price: $25,423
12. Stevens Institute of Technology
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 103.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 8,335
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,194
• Acceptance rate: 43.9%
• Annual price: $69,292
11. Rowan University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 104.8%
• 2017-2018 applications: 14,068
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 17,470
• Acceptance rate: 69.4%
• Annual price: $32,099
10. Tarleton State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 113.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 10,681
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 12,644
• Acceptance rate: 50.4%
• Annual price: $21,795
9. Colby College
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 113.5%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,190
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,081
• Acceptance rate: 15.8%
• Annual price: $71,202
8. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 123.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 31,497
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 17,068
• Acceptance rate: 23.4%
• Annual price: $28,776
7. Texas State University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 133.0%
• 2017-2018 applications: 24,277
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 37,365
• Acceptance rate: 73.0%
• Annual price: $23,130
6. Clark Atlanta University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 140.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 13,940
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,576
• Acceptance rate: 57.9%
• Annual price: $38,154
5. Stetson University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 141.3%
• 2017-2018 applications: 11,732
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,232
• Acceptance rate: 67.8%
• Annual price: $63,282
4. Claflin University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 141.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 9,767
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,230
• Acceptance rate: 41.2%
• Annual price: $33,198
3. Grand Canyon University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 190.2%
• 2017-2018 applications: 32,734
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 76,300
• Acceptance rate: 66.9%
• Annual price: $32,100
2. Wingate University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 212.6%
• 2017-2018 applications: 15,198
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2,729
• Acceptance rate: 93.2%
• Annual price: $48,746
1. Southern New Hampshire University
• 5 yr. increase in applications: 300.9%
• 2017-2018 applications: 17,086
• Total undergraduate enrollment: 106,439
• Acceptance rate: 78.0%
• Annual price: $51,538
Methodology
Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 100 colleges and universities with the largest five-year percentage increase in applicants from the 2012-2013 school year to the 2017-2018 year.
Only schools with at least 4,000 applicants in 2012 were considered. Also from the NCES came annual price per school, which represents the cost of attendance, including in-district tuition and fees, books and supplies, on-campus room and board, and other campus expenses, for full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduate students living on campus. Acceptance rates were also calculated using NCES data. Total undergraduate enrollment also came from the NCES and is for the most recent available year.
24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.