STLCC Sees Increase in Fall Enrollment
October 08, 2025
Posted by STLCC in News Resources
St. Louis Community College recently held ribbon-cuttings for six new buildings on its four campuses – and now there are more students to fill the classrooms.
Enrollment numbers for the fall 2025 semester show a 10 percent increase over last year’s data. In fall 2024, the community college enrolled 15,649 students at its four campuses and education centers. For fall 2025, that number has grown to 17,236.
The growing enrollment at STLCC is the opposite of what many colleges and universities are experiencing. Nationally and regionally, many higher education institutions are seeing a decrease in student enrollment.
STLCC Chancellor Jeff L. Pittman, PhD, attributes the increase in enrollment to the College’s focus on creating and expanding programs that prepare students for their future and align with workforce needs.
“Our team has listened to our students, employers and community to help create academic and technical programs that prepare students to enter the workforce or learn a trade, earn a certification, or continue their education at a four-year college or university,” Pittman explained. “And we’ve made significant efforts to do this while keeping our quality high and tuition affordable.”
One of the areas where the College is seeing substantial growth is in the health sciences. The shortage of health professionals has been widely reported, with serious concerns about how the shortage will affect the health care industry and ultimately, patients. To help address the shortage, STLCC has opened new Nursing and Health Sciences Centers on its Forest Park, Florissant Valley and Wildwood campuses, featuring 21 distinct programs across the district. The Florissant Valley and Forest Park campuses also feature a dental hygiene program and a low-cost dental clinic for community members. New health science buildings expand the community college district’s capacity to 840 seats for the nursing program, the largest in the state.
Other key focus areas include advanced manufacturing and transportation industry, financial services, STEM and emerging technologies such as gaming and geospatial.
STLCC continues to see enrollment increases in non-traditional age students, with the largest growth in students aged 21 – 30 at 11 percent, and students aged 31-40 at 16 percent. This reflects the College’s focus on dynamic program offerings designed to upskill, retrain and prepare people for high-demand, high-wage careers.
As the College continues to grow, its student body is becoming more diverse, better reflecting the communities it serves. In fall 2025, 7,719 students identified as White — an increase of 6% compared to fall 2024. Enrollment among Black students rose by 13%, reaching 6,197. Hispanic/Latino students made up the next largest group, with 1,073 enrolled, also a 13% increase. Students identifying as two or more races grew by 15%, totaling 940.
These enrollment increases are a result of the College’s significant investment in expanding and improving its learning spaces for students and faculty. In 2021, voters in St. Louis City and County approved Proposition R, an 8-cent tax levy enabling the College to build new facilities at its four main campuses and renovate and expand existing buildings on its campuses.
“The areas where we have invested are strategic,” Pittman said. "Our region thrives when the College collaborates with employers, universities, K-12 partners and St. Louis City and County officials to ensure the programming we offer meets the needs of our students and workforce. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
