Sue Kolve-Feehan, Owner / Director | The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska
Sue Kolve-Feehan, Owner / Director | The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska
Of the four institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Viterbo University and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
At least 8,691 people applied to La Crosse County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 16,681 students enrolled in the universities, including 14,783 in undergraduate and 1,898 in graduate programs. Only 4.2% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (85.3%) and Hispanic (4.7%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 10,274 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Technical College | -- | -- | 3,872 |
| Viterbo University | 1,401 | 1,009 | 2,456 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | 7,290 | 5,395 | 10,274 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska | -- | -- | 79 |
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