WINONA, Minn. – Enrollment for spring classes at Winona State dropped to the lowest point in living memory. By headcount, the total was 5,917, off 8% from a year earlier. By full-time equivalency, the number of students was 5,192 – off 9%. The numbers were collected in February on the 30th day of spring classes, as required by the state. The university, however, didn’t report the numbers until May 2 despite weeks of media requests. Spring enrollment always lags behind fall enrollment due mostly to natural attrition by falling-away freshmen. By all measures – fall and spring, headcount and full-time equivalency – the university’s enrollment has been in a major decline for a decade. So too have college enrollments nationwide. The declines usually are attributed to rising tuition, online degree alternatives, blue-collar job opportunities, and the shrinking means of American middle-class families to help children pay for college.
WSU Spring enrollments
As measured by headcount and full-time equivalency:
2016: 7,798, 6,952
2017: 7,513, 6,554
2018: 7,313, 6,490
2019: 7,142, 6,290
2020: 6,909, 6,136
2021: 6,498,5,693
2022: 5,917, 5,192
Minnesota State system
Full university enrollments for Spring 2022:
Southeast Minnesota State, up 3.3%
MSU-Mankato, off 1.9%
St. Cloud State, off 7.4%
MSU-Moorhead, off 8.4%
Winona State, off 8.7
Bemidji State, off 9.0%
Metro State, off 9.3%
Community colleges
Nearby two-year colleges:
Southeast (Red Wing-Winona), up 0.8%
Riverland,(Albert Lea-Austin-Owatonna), off 2.9%
Rochester, off 7.4%
Earlier: WSU prepares to graduate much smaller class
Earlier: Earlier: WSU enrollment still on downward spiral