Dr. Janet Spriggs, President and Chief Executive Officer | Forsyth Technical Community College
Dr. Janet Spriggs, President and Chief Executive Officer | Forsyth Technical Community College
Of the eight institutions in the county, four provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Winston-Salem State University.
At least 26,783 people applied to Forsyth County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 23,981 students enrolled in the universities, including 19,662 in undergraduate and 4,319 in graduate programs. In total 5.7% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (42%) and Black or African American (31.6%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Wake Forest University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 8,963 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem College | 1,159 | 1,008 | 469 |
| Winston-Salem State University | 7,628 | 5,568 | 5,004 |
| Winston Salem Barber School | -- | -- | 44 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem | -- | -- | 57 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | 1,139 | 364 | 1,104 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | -- | -- | 8,270 |
| Wake Forest University | 16,857 | 3,540 | 8,963 |
| Carolina Christian College | -- | -- | 70 |
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