Lauren Chaney, Director of Education | LinkedIn
Lauren Chaney, Director of Education | LinkedIn
Of the five institutions in the county, four provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Laurel Technical Institute, Thiel College and Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango.
At least 4,369 people applied to Mercer County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 3,645 students enrolled in the universities, including 3,515 in undergraduate and 130 in graduate programs. Only 3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (84.2%) and multiracial (4.6%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Grove City College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 2,316 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Regional School of Nursing | -- | -- | 23 |
| Grove City College | 2,174 | 1,544 | 2,316 |
| Laurel Technical Institute | 125 | 119 | 118 |
| Thiel College | 1,878 | 1,540 | 907 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango | 192 | 167 | 281 |
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