LINCOLN - The Nebraska State College System (NSCS) continues to see overall growth in enrollment for the System. As of September 3, the NSCS had an overall increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) of 2%. This increase can be attributed to the large freshman classes at Chadron, Peru, and Wayne State Colleges. Wayne State led the way with one of its largest freshman classes (801) in history. Substantial increases in the number of graduate students at Peru State (14.1%) and Wayne State (8.6%) also contributed to the gain.
“This year’s enrollment reflects ongoing efforts of Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State to be responsive to the needs of their students,” said Chancellor Paul Turman of the NSCS. “The State Colleges listened to their students and continued to prioritize face-to-face instruction, affordability, and accessibility. The enrollment growth is a testament to the diligent work of the State Colleges and their dedicated faculty and staff.”
Chadron State College (CSC)
Chadron had a five percent gain in their freshman class, totaling 412 students. The most significant increase for Chadron State was in transfer students. The 18% increase bucks the national trend of declining enrollments of the community colleges. When analyzing community college enrollments across the nation, they dropped 9.5% last year, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. These declines can cause a ripple effect in the number of students looking to transfer to a four-degree program.
Peru State College (PSC)
Peru State’s freshman class is one of its largest in recent history. The 285 student class is only two less students than their record-setting class in 2019. The inaugural Corrections Leadership Scholarship cohort has 17 students committed to the program.
Wayne State College (WSC)
The Class of 2025 is one of the largest Freshman classes in the College’s history – 801 students. Wayne State’s headcount increased by 384 students over 2020, with significant gains in degree-seeking students. Wayne State has also made substantial headway in its 4-year graduation rate for undergraduates, which has grown by 3.5%. The College also experienced a considerable increase in graduate students (8.6%), the largest increase in over 30 years.
Total Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
| Chadron State | Peru State | Wayne State | NSCS | % Increase | |
| 2021 | 1741 | 1306 | 3269 | 6316 | 1.98% |
| 2020 | 1754 | 1291 | 3149 | 6193 | 1.37% |
Total Headcount
| Chadron State | Peru State | Wayne State | NSCS | % Increase | |
| 2021 | 2258 | 1731 | 4249 | 8238 | 3.62% |
| 2020 | 2303 | 1782 | 3865 | 7950 | 0.94% |
The official enrollment numbers for the NSCS will be captured on October 15, 2021 in coordination with the IPEDS data reporting timeline. The data points above are the 10-Day enrollment information and are close to what we expect for IPEDS, but is not exact and align with the 10-Day enrollment numbers from Fall 2020.
