John M. Ferretti, President and CEO | Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
John M. Ferretti, President and CEO | Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Of the six institutions in the county, three provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College, Mercyhurst University and Gannon University.
At least 14,666 people applied to Erie County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 15,554 students enrolled in the universities, including 9,221 in undergraduate and 6,333 in graduate programs. Only 1.8% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (74%) and U.S. nonresident (6.5%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Gannon University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 4,665 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercyhurst University | 3,625 | 2,936 | 2,801 |
| Gannon University | 6,678 | 5,409 | 4,665 |
| Erie Institute of Technology Inc | -- | -- | 136 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Technology | -- | -- | 350 |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine | -- | -- | 4,307 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 4,363 | 4,145 | 3,295 |
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