Theresa Tangonan President | Linkedin
Theresa Tangonan President | Linkedin
Of the 11 institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Trinity International University-Illinois and Lake Forest College.
At least 5,031 people applied to Lake County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 14,933 students enrolled in the universities, including 14,115 in undergraduate and 818 in graduate programs. Only 3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Hispanic (41.9%) and white (34.9%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, College of Lake County stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 11,651 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 five institutions in Lake County, including University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Columbia College - Lake County and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia College - Crystal Lake Campus | -- | -- | -- |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville | -- | -- | 185 |
| Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills | -- | -- | 47 |
| Lake Forest College | 4,665 | 2,799 | 1,753 |
| College of Lake County | -- | -- | 11,651 |
| Trinity International University-Illinois | 366 | 333 | 1,242 |
| Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | -- | -- | -- |
| University of Saint Mary of the Lake | -- | -- | -- |
| Lake Forest Graduate School of Management | -- | -- | -- |
| State Career College | -- | -- | 55 |
| Columbia College - Lake County | -- | -- | -- |
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