Paul Bahr, Campus Director | LinkedIn
Paul Bahr, Campus Director | LinkedIn
Of the 22 institutions in the county, nine provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including University at Buffalo, Hilbert College and Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES-Practical Nursing Program.
At least 55,508 people applied to Erie County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 67,078 students enrolled in the universities, including 52,019 in undergraduate and 15,059 in graduate programs. In total 7.3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (47.8%) and Black or African American (19.9%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University at Buffalo stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 32,099 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 three institutions in Erie County, including Sharp Edgez Barber Institute - Buffalo, Bryant & Stratton College-Amherst and Bryant & Stratton College-Southtowns.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Institute of Massage Inc | -- | -- | 23 |
| University at Buffalo | 30,939 | 21,039 | 32,099 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Tonawanda | -- | -- | 131 |
| Leon Studio One School of Beauty Knowledge | -- | -- | 18 |
| Continental School of Beauty Culture-West Seneca | -- | -- | 73 |
| Canisius University | 4,131 | 3,222 | 2,492 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo | -- | -- | 787 |
| Daemen University | 2,752 | 2,202 | 2,642 |
| Erie 1 BOCES | -- | -- | 436 |
| Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES-Practical Nursing Program | 124 | 64 | 43 |
| Erie Community College | -- | -- | 7,843 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Amherst | -- | -- | -- |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Online | -- | -- | 9,050 |
| Empire Beauty School-Buffalo | -- | -- | 102 |
| Trocaire College | 301 | 205 | 1,022 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Southtowns | -- | -- | -- |
| Villa Maria College | 500 | 390 | 465 |
| Sharp Edgez Barber Institute - Buffalo | -- | -- | -- |
| Hilbert College | 1,354 | 1,286 | 877 |
| D'Youville University | 3,115 | 2,617 | 2,518 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | 12,292 | 10,571 | 6,445 |
| Professional Culinary Academy | -- | -- | 12 |
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