BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Community College reported 8,364 students are enrolled for academic credit this spring semester, an increase of 8.5% from last spring, according a news release from the school Tuesday.
The state Department of Higher Education requires institutions to take a snapshot of enrollment on the 11th day of spring classes. The enrollment figures reported are preliminary, unofficial numbers.
This continues an upward trend in enrollment at the college. The spring 2024 student count of 7,709 and the spring 2023 count of 7,418 represented increases of 3.9% and 15.9%, respectively, from their previous spring semester.
Of the academic-credit student count, 2,940 are concurrent students taking college courses while in high school -- a record number for the college's high school concurrent program, according to the release.
"This year's spring enrollment numbers demonstrate how everyone across the organization at NWACC is working together and fulfilling the community and business needs for high quality and affordable education and career training," said Justin White, the college's vice president of student affairs, in the release.
In addition to academic-credit enrollment, the college also serves accelerated skills training students through workforce development, job training, adult education and other programs. The total enrollment count of academic-credit and accelerated skills training students on the 11th day brings the combined number of students served to 10,222, according to the release. That's an 11.6% increase from last spring semester.
During the fall 2024 semester, the college had 8,412 students taking classes for academic credit, the second highest total for a fall semester in the college's history. The college's record for a single semester was the fall 2011 mark of 8,528, according to the college's Fact Book.
Northwest Arkansas Community College is the largest two-year college in the state. Tuition is $91 per credit hour for in-district students, those who live in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts. Out-of-district tuition is $157 per credit hour. Out-of-state students pay $170 per credit hour, and tuition is $221 for international students.