Vanya Quiñones, PhD President | California State University-Monterey Bay
Vanya Quiñones, PhD President | California State University-Monterey Bay
Of the nine institutions in the county, California State University-Monterey Bay was the only one that provided detailed enrollment data at the time.
At least 12,568 people applied to Monterey County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 23,890 students enrolled in the universities, including 22,454 in undergraduate and 1,436 in graduate programs. In total 8.4% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Hispanic (61.9%) and white (19.2%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Hartnell College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 8,892 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 Monterey County, including Naval Postgraduate School and Waynes College of Beauty.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey Peninsula College | -- | -- | 6,514 |
| Central Coast College | -- | -- | 446 |
| CET-Soledad | -- | -- | 179 |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 12,568 | 11,563 | 7,045 |
| CET-Salinas | -- | -- | 157 |
| Hartnell College | -- | -- | 8,892 |
| Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey | -- | -- | 657 |
| Naval Postgraduate School | -- | -- | -- |
| Waynes College of Beauty | -- | -- | -- |
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