Dr. Tim Ryan, President | Culinary Institute of America
Dr. Tim Ryan, President | Culinary Institute of America
Of the eight institutions in the county, five provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Vassar College, Bard College and Culinary Institute of America.
At least 30,798 people applied to Dutchess County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 21,895 students enrolled in the universities, including 20,377 in undergraduate and 1,518 in graduate programs. Only 3.6% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (54.7%) and Hispanic (16.8%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Dutchess Community College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 7,047 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.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for two institutions in Dutchess County, including Bard College - Green Haven Correctional Facility and Bard College - Fishkill Correctional Facility.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Institute of America | 1,887 | 1,793 | 3,124 |
| Bard College | 6,482 | 2,982 | 2,706 |
| Vassar College | 11,412 | 2,168 | 2,459 |
| Dutchess Community College | -- | -- | 7,047 |
| Dutchess BOCES-Practical Nursing Program | 51 | 51 | 95 |
| Marist College | 10,966 | 6,909 | 6,464 |
| Bard College - Fishkill Correctional Facility | -- | -- | -- |
| Bard College - Green Haven Correctional Facility | -- | -- | -- |
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