Summer Melvin Owner/Financial Aid Director | Hays Academy of Hair Design
Summer Melvin Owner/Financial Aid Director | Hays Academy of Hair Design
Of the three institutions in the county, Kansas Wesleyan University was the only one that provided detailed enrollment data at the time.
At least 1,356 people applied to Saline County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 1,788 students enrolled in the universities, including 1,720 in undergraduate and 68 in graduate programs. In total 8.6% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (68.6%) and Hispanic (16.6%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Kansas Wesleyan University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 859 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salina Area Technical College | -- | -- | 855 |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | 1,356 | 949 | 859 |
| Hays Academy of Hair Design | -- | -- | 74 |
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