President Dr. Scott Rich | Sterling College
President Dr. Scott Rich | Sterling College
At least 1,959 people applied to Rice County college in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 706 students enrolled in the university, including 682 in undergraduate and 24 in graduate programs. In total 7.5% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (62%) and Black or African American (11%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Sterling College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 706 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling College | 1,959 | 1,195 | 706 |
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