State system schools see marginal enrollment increase
Recent enrollment numbers for regional schools paint a more positive picture, slowly increasing in the face of regional concerns over enrollment trends.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education said in a news release Tuesday, Oct. 7, that enrollment across its 10 universities increased in the Fall 2025 semester.
While the overall increase was only 0.6%, it’s still the first system-wide increase in more than a decade.
The state system’s total enrollment across its 10 universities is now roughly 83,000 students. It said Slippery Rock University posted its largest single-year enrollment increase in nine years, at 2.75%.
The state system also said it saw its highest student retention rate on record.
“PASSHE universities enroll more Pennsylvania residents than any other four-year university in the commonwealth. With 89% of students from Pennsylvania, the system plays a vital role in educating the workforce and strengthening local communities across Pennsylvania,” the news release said.
These numbers come several weeks after SRU said it has seen overall solid enrollment data for the Fall 2025 semester. According to the university, its overall enrollment heading into the current school year was 8,625.
“As colleges nationwide prepare to release Fall 2025 student population data, Slippery Rock University, part of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, is bucking the impending trend of the enrollment cliff and is continuing to see strong demand and growth,” Justin Zackal, SRU associate communications director, said in an SRU news article.
The state system said in its news release that seven out of its 10 universities saw enrollment gains this semester. Elsewhere in Western Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania saw “stable overall enrollment, with a more than 8% increase in new students.”
Statewide in the past year, Penn State University announced it is closing seven of its branch campuses due to declining enrollment, including its New Kensington, Shenango and Fayette campuses.
But in Butler County, SRU and Butler County Community College have been able to maintain decent short-term enrollment numbers in the face of concerns over the “enrollment cliff,” the projected decline in college enrollment due to factors such as lower birth rates.
Josh Novak, BC3’s vice president for enrollment management, said in September the college’s enrollment was down roughly 3.5%, less than the projected 5% due to the college no longer offering credited classes at its LindenPointe campus.
BC3 president Megan Coval has previously said her college, like others in states like Pennsylvania, faces challenges due to changing demographics, and that it has looked to areas like dual enrollment to continue reaching students.
At SRU, programs such as the Next Generation Health Care event have been held, in part, to reach local high school students that could be potential future students and are looking for a career path.
“We have to really be inventive in how we partner with others, how we partner with local school districts and our industry partners, in our case the health care industry, and how do we get these entities together,” Christine Karshin, dean of the college of health professions, said Oct. 7. “Because industry is in great need of a workforce, Slippery Rock University and other institutions are interested in enrollment, we want our programs to be at their max, and high schools want to help create that bridge for their students.”
