STLCC enrollment returns to pre-pandemic numbers, diversity up

BRIDGETON, Mo. — St. Louis Community College (STLCC) has recorded a 10 percent increase in enrollment for fall 2025, reaching pre-pandemic numbers. 

STLCC’s student population grew from 15,649 in 2024 to 17,236 this fall, marking the college’s highest enrollment since before the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes after years of decline, including a drop to 15,206 students in fall 2020, when the pandemic forced campuses across the country to switch to remote learning. 

The university says the increase is as a result of years of strategic program development and major facility investments funded by Proposition R, an 8-cent tax levy approved by voters in 2021. That ballot measure came after the college saw a 37% enrollment decline over less than a decade, prompting STLCC leaders to expand workforce-focused programs and upgrade learning spaces across its four main campuses.

“Our team has listened to our students, employers and community to help create academic and technical programs that prepare students to enter the workforce or learn a trade, earn a certification, or continue their education at a four-year college or university,” said STLCC Chancellor Jeff L. Pittman, PhD.

The college recently opened new Nursing and Health Sciences Centers on its Forest Park, Florissant Valley, and Wildwood campuses as part of a push to address the region’s shortage of health professionals. STLCC now has 21 distinct programs in health sciences and has expanded its nursing capacity to 840 seats, the largest in Missouri.

Enrollment gains are strongest among non-traditional students, particularly those aged 21–30 (up 11%) and 31–40 (up 16%). Diversity has also significantly improved in the last year, with a 13% rise in enrollment among Black and Hispanic/Latino students and a 15% increase among students identifying as two or more races.

The rebound at STLCC could also be due to the fact that many four-year universities around the country face enrollment struggles driven by rising costs, uncertainty over federal funding (whether it’s for programs, scholarships, etc.) and a declining birth rate since the 2008 recession that has shrunk the pool of college-age students. 

School officials say STLCC’s success lies in its ability to match up what they offer with the needs of the workforce. 

“Our region thrives when the college collaborates with employers, universities, K-12 partners and St. Louis City and County officials to ensure the programming we offer meets the needs of our students and workforce,” Pittman said.