Nate Swanson President | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal
Nate Swanson President | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal
Of the six institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois State University.
At least 24,004 people applied to McLean County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 27,238 students enrolled in the universities, including 24,610 in undergraduate and 2,628 in graduate programs. In total 7.6% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (68.1%) and Hispanic (12.4%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Illinois State University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 20,683 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology | -- | -- | 79 |
| Illinois State University | 19,596 | 16,853 | 20,683 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | 4,408 | 1,851 | 1,527 |
| Heartland Community College | -- | -- | 4,774 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Normal | -- | -- | 92 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal | -- | -- | 83 |
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