What happens next Where's my refund? Best CD rates this month Shop and save 🤑
Tuition

US college enrollment keeps falling, but applications are skyrocketing at these schools

Samuel Stebbins
24/7 Wall Street

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. 

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

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

Washington State University

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

Texas A&M University-Commerce

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

Trinity University

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

Temple University

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

Southern New Hampshire University

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.

Featured Weekly Ad