Dr. Tom Stritikus, President | Fort Lewis College
Dr. Tom Stritikus, President | Fort Lewis College
At least 4,942 people applied to La Plata County college in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 3,400 students enrolled in the university, including 3,308 in undergraduate and 92 in graduate programs. In total 5.4% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (40%) and American Indian or Alaskan Native (32%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Fort Lewis College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 3,400 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 |
---|---|---|---|
Fort Lewis College | 4,942 | 4,497 | 3,400 |