Hickory Sun

Catawba County's two universities admitted an estimated 83% of applicants for fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those who were admitted, 9% enrolled.

Of the two institutions in the county, Lenoir-Rhyne University was the only one that provided detailed enrollment data at the time.

At least 5,452 people applied to Catawba County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.

NCES data shows that among them, around 6,526 students enrolled in the universities, including 5,701 in undergraduate and 825 in graduate programs. Only 4.2% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.

The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (63.7%) and Hispanic (12.8%) students.

Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Catawba Valley Community College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 4,172 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
Catawba Valley Community College	--	--	4,172
Lenoir-Rhyne University	5,452	4,525	2,354