Dr. Richard S. Lapidus President | Fitchburg State University
Dr. Richard S. Lapidus President | Fitchburg State University
Of the 20 institutions in the county, nine provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Anna Maria College, Worcester State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
At least 45,183 people applied to Worcester County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 40,894 students enrolled in the universities, including 32,271 in undergraduate and 8,623 in graduate programs. Only 4.1% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (60.2%) and Hispanic (15.2%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Worcester Polytechnic Institute stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 7,308 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.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for two institutions in Worcester County, including University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and Porter and Chester Institute of Worcester.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School | -- | -- | -- |
| College of the Holy Cross | 7,036 | 2,533 | 3,083 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 11,599 | 6,611 | 7,308 |
| Worcester State University | 4,718 | 4,152 | 5,311 |
| Clark University | 8,787 | 4,394 | 3,770 |
| Porter and Chester Institute of Worcester | -- | -- | -- |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Worcester | -- | -- | 217 |
| Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District | -- | -- | 43 |
| Spa Tech Institute-Westboro | -- | -- | 163 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | -- | -- | 2,868 |
| Quinsigamond Community College | -- | -- | 6,481 |
| Anna Maria College | 3,514 | 2,460 | 1,436 |
| Alexander Academy | -- | -- | 26 |
| Assumption University | 4,035 | 3,309 | 2,059 |
| Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District | -- | -- | 46 |
| Bancroft School of Massage Therapy | -- | -- | 26 |
| Nichols College | 2,358 | 2,004 | 1,403 |
| Monty Tech | 52 | 41 | 41 |
| Rob Roy Academy-Worcester | -- | -- | 59 |
| Fitchburg State University | 3,084 | 2,652 | 6,554 |
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