Children And Education
Enrollment in Local Colleges

Decreasing


Change in College Enrollment

What does this measure?

The percent change since 2002 of people enrolled in a local postsecondary educational institution (college, university, community college).

Why is this important?

Higher education is associated with greater earnings and standard of living, and the rate of students pursuing further education also provides an indirect measure of the strength of the high schools.

How does our county compare?

Enrollment in Lancaster County local colleges decreased 8% from 2002 to 2024, with about 20,800 students enrolled. This was a larger decline than the statewide decrease of 3% and lower than the national increase of 11%.

Among neighboring counties in 2024, Lebanon, York and Cumberland saw larger enrollment decreases since 2002, of 41%, 40%, and 17%, respectively. Dauphin and Berks were the only counties to see increased enrollment since 2002, at 70% and 4%, respectively. Chester County had a slight decrease of 5% since 2002.

Notes about the data

This measure includes students attending vocational schools and 2- and 4-year colleges.

Change in College Enrollment
20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
PennsylvaniaN/A5%8%8%11%13%15%18%26%27%24%20%20%17%15%12%10%7%5%2%-3%-3%-3%
Lancaster CountyN/A8%11%15%20%26%29%-9%-6%-4%-6%-3%-4%-4%-5%-4%-5%-4%-4%-6%-9%-12%-8%
Berks CountyN/A10%19%25%28%30%32%39%39%40%37%31%25%22%19%17%13%9%-5%-10%2%1%4%
Chester CountyN/A-2%2%12%14%15%15%15%19%17%14%12%8%4%3%2%2%-0%-2%-2%-2%-5%-5%
Cumberland CountyN/A2%5%5%6%7%7%8%11%13%13%8%4%5%5%3%-3%-5%-9%-11%-14%-19%-17%
Dauphin CountyN/A8%14%19%22%23%24%100%126%130%121%114%105%109%107%113%118%111%71%57%69%62%70%
Lebanon CountyN/A3%3%2%3%4%2%-35%-34%-34%-35%-38%-35%-38%-39%-40%-37%-37%-36%-38%-41%-41%-41%
York CountyN/A2%7%8%7%5%6%9%15%20%11%11%8%0%-9%-17%-25%-29%-39%-43%-42%-29%-40%

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Notes: Rate is percentage change since 2002.




Number of People Enrolled in Local Colleges
20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Pennsylvania832,104872,949895,459897,859922,486941,825956,534978,6491,046,9781,055,5211,029,375998,982999,010976,541952,875933,499914,163886,725876,502845,244808,428808,083805,614
Lancaster County22,47924,36324,89725,85627,08528,35729,08020,45721,07921,46921,22821,70021,48121,53521,35621,66621,37121,53121,53121,17320,47819,81920,791
Berks County23,10125,36827,40728,85829,51830,08530,51932,12132,15632,44931,65430,26328,93428,13527,55227,03326,08325,26722,05020,76123,55323,27623,923
Chester County28,60828,03629,13231,94832,66932,90832,93632,94434,11933,52732,70131,94230,83329,74529,40929,28529,06728,53128,08528,03927,92427,17927,172
Cumberland County15,72416,04216,43416,53416,72016,85016,83817,02217,42817,82117,69817,01716,39716,51516,44816,20615,29914,99414,36213,94513,59712,81013,032
Dauphin County18,59120,09721,18422,05422,75322,84123,12937,11741,92942,71641,00939,86638,11038,80138,51639,56640,47439,15531,76029,15931,41330,11331,614
Lebanon County4,1034,2354,2064,1704,2424,2514,2032,6572,7082,7202,6812,5612,6622,5482,5232,4712,6042,5752,6112,5512,4162,4352,424
York County11,63011,81312,44512,60512,40612,20712,35012,62213,36014,01012,95012,94512,53911,64310,5849,6548,7578,2357,0526,6476,7848,2337,033

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
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INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Increasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Decreasing
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Sex Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Increasing
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2010 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Decreasing
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Decreasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Maintaining
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Rate of Depression Diagnosis Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Maintaining
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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