Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Of the 16 institutions in the county, five provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Luther Rice College & Seminary, Oglethorpe University and Agnes Scott College.
At least 37,917 people applied to DeKalb County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 24,987 students enrolled in the universities, including 16,162 in undergraduate and 8,825 in graduate programs. In total 5.8% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Black or African American (35.8%) and white (28%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Emory University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 14,841 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 five institutions in DeKalb County, including Relay Graduate School of Education - Atlanta, Columbia Theological Seminary and Strayer University-Lithonia Campus.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta School of Massage | -- | -- | 333 |
| Luther Rice College & Seminary | 37 | 25 | 581 |
| DeVry University-Georgia | 6 | 3 | 532 |
| Pro Way Hair School | -- | -- | 58 |
| Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service | -- | -- | 479 |
| Oglethorpe University | 2,816 | 1,999 | 1,491 |
| Empire Beauty School-Northlake | -- | -- | 111 |
| Emory University | 33,179 | 3,650 | 14,841 |
| Agnes Scott College | 1,879 | 1,259 | 1,114 |
| Interactive College of Technology-Chamblee | -- | -- | 543 |
| Strayer University-Lithonia Campus | -- | -- | -- |
| Strayer University-Georgia | -- | -- | 4,904 |
| Columbia Theological Seminary | -- | -- | -- |
| Relay Graduate School of Education - Atlanta | -- | -- | -- |
| South College-Atlanta | -- | -- | -- |
| Georgia Military College - Stone Mountain | -- | -- | -- |
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