Dr. David Russell, Presdent | Columbia College
Dr. David Russell, Presdent | Columbia College
Of the four institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including University of Missouri-Columbia and Stephens College.
At least 20,953 people applied to Boone County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 38,083 students enrolled in the universities, including 29,970 in undergraduate and 8,113 in graduate programs. In total 6% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (74.1%) and Black or African American (8.1%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Missouri-Columbia stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 31,304 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia College | -- | -- | 6,046 |
| Stephens College | 650 | 416 | 590 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | 20,303 | 16,039 | 31,304 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Missouri Columbia | -- | -- | 143 |
Alerts Sign-up