UI, LCSC see different enrollment trends during COVID-19 pandemic

The University of Idaho and Lewis-Clark State College experienced vastly different enrollment trends this fall during the coronavirus pandemic.

UI saw its numbers decrease by 9.5 percent in overall enrollment to 10,791 students, while LCSC’s numbers grew by 2.88 percent to 3,856 students.

At both institutions, dual-credit students, or those in high school who take college courses, accounted for much of the change.

UI experienced a decline of 584 dual-credit and nondegree students — a trend college administrators did not expect — while LCSC’s dual-credit numbers increased by 217 students.

Full-time enrollment without dual-credit and nondegree students at UI went down 3 percent, while LCSC saw its full-time enrollment increase slightly by 0.26 percent.

First-time undergraduate enrollment at UI decreased by 56 students, to 1,429, this fall. The number of students in the Western Undergraduate Exchange, which allows students in Western states to pay less than out-of-state tuition, is up 21 percent. Numbers for nonresident undergraduate students outside of the consortium decreased 27 percent this fall to 441 students.

New graduate students at UI increased 4.2 percent to 573, while international students decreased by 29 percent to 464.

The university saw an increase at its College of Law after 110 students transferred from the now-defunct Concordia Law School in Boise.

Enrollment is also up for Native American, Native Hawaiian and students of more than one race at UI.

LCSC’s first-generation enrollment increased by 2 percent to 78 percent of the student body this fall, the highest among Idaho’s four-year institutions, stated a news release. LCSC saw its international enrollment drop from 61 students to 38.

Its Coeur d’Alene campus also saw an increase of 7 percent in its enrollment numbers.

WSU previously reported a 5.1 percent decrease in enrollment at its Pullman campus and a 1.4 percent drop systemwide. Enrollment in Pullman landed at 19,900 students, compared to 20,976 students last fall. Systemwide, WSU had a total of 31,159 students at its six campuses, compared to 31,607 students last fall.

Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2294. Follow her on Twitter @jtomtas.