In the first week of classes, 70,325 students enrolled at the 16 colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), with students hailing from all 120 Kentucky counties.
The enrollment is a 6.4 percent increase, totaling 4,211 more students compared to the same time last year. With multiple start dates still ahead, KCTCS officials project total enrollment will surpass 85,000 before the semester ends.
Fourteen KCTCS colleges posted enrollment gains, and nine of those colleges exceeded five percent gains. Jefferson led with a 12.3 percent increase, followed by Southcentral (9.2 percent), Somerset (9.1 percent), Hopkinsville (7.9 percent), Ashland (7.6 percent), Madisonville (7.1 percent), Gateway (6.4 percent), Bluegrass (5.7 percent) and Southeast (5.7 percent).
“This strong enrollment growth reflects the growing confidence Kentuckians have in our colleges as the most affordable and accessible pathway to a better future and a great career,” KCTCS President Ryan Quarles said. “Whether students are earning a credential, training for a career, or getting a head start with dual credit in high school, we are committed to helping them succeed and strengthening Kentucky’s workforce.”
Fourteen colleges also increased full-time equivalent (FTE) headcount, resulting in a 5.9 percent systemwide gain. Two colleges topped 10 percent increases — Southcentral (11.0 percent) and Gateway (10.9 percent).
Surging enrollment growth comes as Kentucky and the nation face a continuing workforce shortage. KCTCS says they play a critical role in addressing that gap, offering more than 100 programs aligned with state workforce needs in healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, and other high-demand fields.
Across the system, gains include:
- Credential-seeking enrollment, 4.4 percent
- High school dual credit enrollment, 12.6 percent
- Workforce/non-degree enrollment, 5.9 percent
- Full-time enrollment, 5.2 percent, and part-time enrollment, 7.2 percent.
New student enrollment rose 2.5 percent. This includes a decrease of 3.1 percent in new credential-seeking enrollment, a gain of 9.6 percent in new high school enrollment, and an increase of 3.7 percent in new workforce/non-degree enrollment.
Male student enrollment grew 7.5 percent, while female enrollment rose 5.7 percent.
Official enrollment for the term will be finalized later this year.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
