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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
VICTORY TOWNSHIP — Fall enrollment at West Shore Community College has declined 4.9% compared to last year, ending three consecutive years of enrollment growth, according to a report scheduled to be presented to the college’s Board of Trustees Monday, Oct. 19.
The board will meet at 4 p.m. in the John M. Eaton Board Room, located in the Administrative and Conference Building on the college’s main campus, 3000 N. Stiles Road.
According to the fall 2026 enrollment report, dated Oct. 8, WSCC has 1,246 students enrolled, compared to 1,310 during the fall 2025 semester. The decrease represents 64 students.
The college had experienced steady enrollment growth since 2022, when fall enrollment was 1,009 students. Enrollment increased to 1,062 in 2023 and 1,162 in 2024 before reaching 1,310 in 2025. Despite the current decline, enrollment remains higher than it was in 2024.
The report also indicates a decrease in the number of credits being taken by students. Total enrolled credits for fall 2026 are 11,005, approximately 98.3% of the previous year’s total. Student contact hours total 13,077, approximately 97.3% of last year’s figure.
Of the 1,246 students enrolled this fall, 848, or 68.1%, are attending part time, while 398, or 31.9%, are enrolled full time.
Female students account for 771 enrollments, or 61.9%, while male students account for 475, or 38.1%.
The college’s enrollment report also identifies 482 students as non-degree seeking. Among its academic programs, non-degree dual enrollment has 264 students, followed by liberal arts and sciences with 187. Pre-nursing and science each have 86 students enrolled.
The enrollment decline is also reflected in the college’s financial report for September.
According to the financial statements, year-to-date tuition and fee revenue totaled $2,677,693 as of Sept. 30, compared to $2,799,322 during the same period in 2025, a decrease of $121,629.
The financial report states that year-to-date tuition contact hours were approximately 4.25% below the previous year. It also notes that tuition revenue adjustments reflect the implementation of a college policy reducing out-of-district tuition charges for students whose tuition is paid by public institutions.
Despite the decrease in tuition revenue, overall general fund revenue for the first three months of the fiscal year was slightly higher than the previous year. Total revenue through Sept. 30 was $5,443,586, compared to $5,428,442 during the same period in 2025.
The enrollment report will be presented as part of the board’s academic report by college administration.
The meeting is open to the public.
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