Kerry Walk, PhD, President | The University of the Arts
Kerry Walk, PhD, President | The University of the Arts
Of the 35 institutions in the county, 17 provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Drexel University, Studio Incamminati and Walnut Hill College.
At least 157,938 people applied to Philadelphia County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 125,718 students enrolled in the universities, including 81,229 in undergraduate and 44,489 in graduate programs. Only 3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (41.8%) and Black or African American (18.9%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Temple University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 33,196 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 six institutions in Philadelphia County, including The Beauty Institute, Missio Theological Seminary and Strayer University-Center City Campus.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beauty Institute | -- | -- | -- |
| Holy Family University | 1,986 | 1,529 | 2,912 |
| Orleans Technical College | 99 | 65 | 227 |
| Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing | -- | -- | 174 |
| Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia | -- | -- | 186 |
| Moore College of Art and Design | 1,510 | 800 | 368 |
| Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia | 40 | 35 | 123 |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 183 | 167 | 172 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Philadelphia | -- | -- | 299 |
| Strayer University-Center City Campus | -- | -- | -- |
| Studio Incamminati | 2 | 2 | 39 |
| Jean Madeline Aveda Institute | -- | -- | 251 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | -- | -- | 288 |
| Missio Theological Seminary | -- | -- | -- |
| University of the Arts | 1,086 | 869 | 1,313 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 54,588 | 3,821 | 28,201 |
| Walnut Hill College | 133 | 133 | 168 |
| La Salle University | 5,214 | 4,901 | 4,049 |
| Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia | -- | -- | 393 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | 5,723 | 5,093 | 8,286 |
| Temple University | 38,666 | 30,933 | 33,196 |
| Academy of Vocal Arts | -- | -- | -- |
| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | -- | -- | -- |
| Curtis Institute of Music | 414 | 41 | 151 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education - Philadelphia & Camden | -- | -- | -- |
| Peirce College | -- | -- | 856 |
| Jna Institute of Culinary Arts | -- | -- | 9 |
| Philadelphia Technician Training | -- | -- | 635 |
| ASPIRA City College | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | -- | -- | 11,636 |
| Saint Joseph's University | 9,708 | 8,640 | 7,861 |
| Drexel University | 37,040 | 29,632 | 22,344 |
| Chestnut Hill College | 1,543 | 1,512 | 1,420 |
| Empire Beauty School-NE Philadelphia | -- | -- | 86 |
| Health and Technology Training Institute | -- | -- | 64 |
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