Dr. Susan D. Looney, President | Reading Area Community College
Dr. Susan D. Looney, President | Reading Area Community College
Of the 10 institutions in the county, four provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Alvernia University, Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences and Albright College.
At least 18,622 people applied to Berks County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 16,787 students enrolled in the universities, including 15,163 in undergraduate and 1,624 in graduate programs. Only 4.8% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (59.5%) and Hispanic (21.5%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 7,455 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berks Career & Technology Center | -- | -- | 42 |
| Reading Area Community College | -- | -- | 4,533 |
| Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical Institute | -- | -- | 311 |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 7,248 | 6,958 | 7,455 |
| Alvernia University | 5,703 | 3,365 | 2,484 |
| Empire Beauty School-Reading | -- | -- | 50 |
| American Barber and Beauty Academy | -- | -- | 131 |
| Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences | 93 | 12 | 259 |
| Albright College | 5,578 | 4,741 | 1,498 |
| European Medical School of Massage | -- | -- | 24 |
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