Hubert Benitez, DDS, PhD President | American International College
Hubert Benitez, DDS, PhD President | American International College
Of the 11 institutions in the county, six provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Western New England University, Bay Path University and American International College.
At least 20,974 people applied to Hampden County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 24,298 students enrolled in the universities, including 19,311 in undergraduate and 4,987 in graduate programs. In total 5.5% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (55.9%) and Hispanic (20.3%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Westfield State University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 4,702 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 three institutions in Hampden County, including Porter and Chester Institute - Chicopee, DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology and Bard College - Holyoke Microcollege.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield College | 3,549 | 2,697 | 2,921 |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms | 1,177 | 1,071 | 1,275 |
| DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology | -- | -- | -- |
| Westfield State University | 6,625 | 5,433 | 4,702 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | -- | -- | 3,945 |
| Holyoke Community College | -- | -- | 3,550 |
| Western New England University | 6,128 | 5,393 | 3,430 |
| Bay Path University | 788 | 599 | 2,465 |
| American International College | 2,707 | 2,409 | 2,010 |
| Bard College - Holyoke Microcollege | -- | -- | -- |
| Porter and Chester Institute - Chicopee | -- | -- | -- |
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