Dr. LaVerne Harmon President | Wilmington University
Dr. LaVerne Harmon President | Wilmington University
Of the 10 institutions in the county, three provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Delaware College of Art and Design, Goldey-Beacom College and University of Delaware.
At least 36,376 people applied to New Castle County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 39,616 students enrolled in the universities, including 29,738 in undergraduate and 9,878 in graduate programs. Only 4.7% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (59.6%) and Black or African American (11.7%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Delaware stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 24,039 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 two institutions in New Castle County, including Delaware Technical Community College-Stanton/Wilmington and Relay Graduate School of Education - Delaware.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldey-Beacom College | 625 | 394 | 1,012 |
| Hair Academy School of Barbering & Beauty | -- | -- | 12 |
| University of Delaware | 35,362 | 26,168 | 24,039 |
| Academy of Massage and Bodywork | -- | -- | 116 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education - Delaware | -- | -- | -- |
| Delaware College of Art and Design | 389 | 222 | 129 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware | -- | -- | 103 |
| Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design | -- | -- | 185 |
| Wilmington University | -- | -- | 14,020 |
| Delaware Technical Community College-Stanton/Wilmington | -- | -- | -- |
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