Paul Broadie II President | Santa Fe College
Paul Broadie II President | Santa Fe College
Of the eight institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including University of Florida and University of Florida-Online.
At least 65,972 people applied to Alachua County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 73,570 students enrolled in the universities, including 52,911 in undergraduate and 20,659 in graduate programs. Only 4.3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (52.3%) and Hispanic (23.3%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Florida stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 55,211 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 two institutions in Alachua County, including Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine and Academy for Five Element Acupuncture.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Salon Academy-Gainesville | -- | -- | 145 |
| Academy for Five Element Acupuncture | -- | -- | -- |
| Florida School of Traditional Midwifery | -- | -- | 74 |
| Santa Fe College | -- | -- | 12,729 |
| University of Florida-Online | 1,499 | 974 | 5,356 |
| Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine | -- | -- | -- |
| Florida School of Massage | -- | -- | 55 |
| University of Florida | 64,473 | 14,829 | 55,211 |
Alerts Sign-up