Dr. Avis Proctor President | William Rainey Harper College
Dr. Avis Proctor President | William Rainey Harper College
Of the 98 institutions in the county, 26 provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Dominican University, Concordia University-Chicago and University of Illinois Chicago.
At least 244,636 people applied to Cook County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 259,399 students enrolled in the universities, including 188,745 in undergraduate and 70,654 in graduate programs. Only 4.3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Hispanic (33.7%) and white (30.2%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Illinois Chicago stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 33,747 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.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for 19 institutions in Cook County, including Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, National Latino Education Institute and Catholic Theological Union at Chicago.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
Application and Admission in Cook County Universities Over 5 Years
Cook County Universities Admissions for Fall 2022
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Professionals Career College | -- | -- | 62 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park | -- | -- | 1,209 |
| Capri Beauty College | -- | -- | 51 |
| VanderCook College of Music | 22 | 22 | 263 |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute | -- | -- | 378 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | -- | -- | 5,289 |
| Roosevelt University | 2,997 | 2,637 | 3,725 |
| Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary | -- | -- | -- |
| Ambria College of Nursing | -- | -- | 211 |
| Concordia University-Chicago | 4,296 | 3,995 | 5,354 |
| Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus | -- | -- | 105 |
| William Rainey Harper College | -- | -- | 12,434 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | -- | -- | 2,237 |
| American Islamic College | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| Phipps Academy of Barbering | -- | -- | 33 |
| Pacific College of Health and Science | -- | -- | 233 |
| Columbia College Chicago | 7,701 | 7,316 | 6,646 |
| Institute for Clinical Social Work | -- | -- | -- |
| Triton College | -- | -- | 8,616 |
| Steven Papageorge Hair Academy | -- | -- | 64 |
| Estelle Medical Academy | -- | -- | 64 |
| Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc. | -- | -- | -- |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE | -- | -- | 145 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | 23,562 | 18,614 | 33,747 |
| John Amico School of Hair Design | -- | -- | 223 |
| Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy | -- | -- | 284 |
| University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology | -- | -- | 42 |
| HVAC Technical Institute | -- | -- | 207 |
| Midwestern Career College | -- | -- | 676 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW | -- | -- | 205 |
| Prairie State College | -- | -- | 2,680 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | -- | -- | 2,101 |
| American Academy of Art College | -- | -- | 111 |
| Cosmetology Concepts Niles | -- | -- | 53 |
| Moody Bible Institute | 324 | 305 | 2,410 |
| Hebrew Theological College | 7 | 5 | 160 |
| Morton College | -- | -- | 3,753 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago | -- | -- | 197 |
| Taylor Business Institute | 34 | 27 | 175 |
| Generations College | -- | -- | 303 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | -- | -- | 5,559 |
| Erikson Institute | -- | -- | -- |
| Trinity Christian College | 706 | 501 | 908 |
| Aveda Institute-Chicago | -- | -- | 93 |
| Oakton College | -- | -- | 7,645 |
| Fox College | 63 | 44 | 252 |
| Trenz Beauty Academy | -- | -- | 128 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education - Chicago | -- | -- | -- |
| Chicago State University | 7,404 | 3,628 | 2,317 |
| McCormick Theological Seminary | -- | -- | -- |
| Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute | -- | -- | 163 |
| Spertus College | -- | -- | -- |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 4,603 | 2,900 | 5,756 |
| Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago | 35 | 33 | 90 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 7,243 | 4,418 | 6,943 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview | -- | -- | 416 |
| South Suburban College | -- | -- | 3,905 |
| Bell Mar Beauty College | -- | -- | 48 |
| Empire Beauty School-Stone Park | -- | -- | 112 |
| St. Augustine College | -- | -- | 680 |
| Adler University | -- | -- | 1,841 |
| MDT College of Health Sciences | 37 | 31 | 324 |
| Meadville Theological School of Lombard College | -- | -- | -- |
| Illinois College of Optometry | -- | -- | -- |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | -- | -- | 4,787 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | -- | -- | 10,511 |
| Loyola University Chicago | 40,909 | 32,318 | 16,899 |
| University of Notre Dame - | -- | -- | -- |
| Chicago Theological Seminary | -- | -- | -- |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 6,075 | 4,799 | 3,532 |
| Triton College - Intl Union of Operating Engr Local 399 Trning Fac. | -- | -- | -- |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | -- | -- | 7,508 |
| National Latino Education Institute | -- | -- | -- |
| Northwestern University | 51,261 | 3,588 | 23,161 |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago | -- | -- | 39 |
| Cameo Beauty Academy | -- | -- | 100 |
| Catholic Theological Union at Chicago | -- | -- | -- |
| Larry's Barber College | -- | -- | 93 |
| DePaul University | 31,785 | 22,250 | 20,917 |
| North Park University | 5,039 | 3,427 | 2,660 |
| CAAN Academy of Nursing | -- | -- | 72 |
| Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago | -- | -- | -- |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | -- | -- | 7,314 |
| Networks Barber College | -- | -- | 12 |
| Dominican University | 5,117 | 4,605 | 3,196 |
| Saint Xavier University | 7,833 | 6,580 | 3,523 |
| Northwestern College | -- | -- | 514 |
| University of Chicago | 37,522 | 1,876 | 18,339 |
| The Chicago School at Chicago | 43 | 3 | 1,296 |
| NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia | -- | -- | -- |
| Worsham College of Mortuary Science | 17 | 13 | 190 |
| Rush University | -- | -- | 2,870 |
| Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago | -- | -- | -- |
| Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture | -- | -- | 49 |
| Networks Barber College | -- | -- | -- |
| Chicago Professional Center | -- | -- | 98 |
| Zen Shiatsu Chicago | -- | -- | 74 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Chicago | -- | -- | -- |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Concordia University-Chicago• Maccormac College• Northeastern Illinois University• Hvac Technical Institute• Bell Mar Beauty College• City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College• Dominican University• Taylor Business Institute• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE• Cameo Beauty Academy• Illinois College of Optometry• Larry's Barber College• South Suburban College• Morton College• Trinity Christian College• Estelle Skin Care And Spa Institute• Spertus College• Illinois Institute of Technology• Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc.• University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology• Sae Institute of Technology-Chicago• North Park University• Moraine Valley Community College• Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy• Moody Bible Institute• Saint Xavier University• Hair Professionals Career College• John Amico School of Hair Design• Institute for Clinical Social Work• McCormick Theological Seminary• Chicago State University• National Latino Education Institute• Steven Papageorge Hair Academy• Prairie State College• Northwestern University Graduate Progr• Networks Barber College• University of Notre Dame -• Hebrew Theological College• Erikson Institute• City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College• Caan Academy of Nursing• Catholic Theological Union At Chicago• Chicago Professional Center• Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago• Northshore University Healthsystem School of Nurse Anesthesia• Aveda Institute-Chicago• Estelle Medical Academy• William Rainey Harper College• Ats Institute of Technology• Triton College - Intl Union of Operating Engr Local 399 Trning Fac.• City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College• Networks Barber College• Capri Beauty College/Vice-President• St. Augustine College• G Skin & Beauty Institute• Trenz Beauty Academy• Fox College• Rush University• Zen Shiatsu Chicago• Empire Beauty School-Stone Park• Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park• University of Illinois at Chicago• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary• Ultimate Touch Barber College• School of Art Institute of Chicago• Niles School of Cosmetology• Ambria College of Nursing• Midwestern Career College• American Academy of Art• Relay Graduate School of Education - Chicago• City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW• Vandercook College of Music• City Colleges of Chicago Harold Washington College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture Bridgeview• Loyola University Chicago• Adler University• Northwestern College, Bridgeview, Il• American Islamic College• Pacific College of Oriental Medicine Chicago• Columbia College Chicago• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago• City Colleges of Chicago Malcolm X College• Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture• Depaul University Chicago Sunday Eveni• Oakton College• Worsham College Of Mortuary Science• City Colleges Of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College• Toyota Technological Institute At Chicago• Roosevelt University• Cannella School Of Hair Design-Chicago• Lutheran School Of Theology• Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus• The University Of Chicago• Paul Mitchell The School-Chicago• Meadville Lombard Theological School• Chicago Theological Seminary
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