Iowa Private College Enrollment Struggles in Wake of Pandemic, Perception Shifts

Forces affecting higher education — from disruptions like the pandemic to evolving workforce demands, student needs, demographics and public perceptions — are evident in recent enrollment counts for Iowa’s private colleges and universities, which are down again for many this fall. Even campuses that saw slight total enrollment upticks — like Loras, Simpson and Wartburg colleges — still are reporting smaller student bodies than five years ago.