Randy O\'Rear, Ed.D. President | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Randy O\'Rear, Ed.D. President | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Of the five institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Texas A&M University-Central Texas and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
At least 13,071 people applied to Bell County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 10,542 students enrolled in the universities, including 9,553 in undergraduate and 989 in graduate programs. In total 16.5% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (43.9%) and Hispanic (29.4%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Temple College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 4,602 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Texas Beauty College-Temple | -- | -- | 134 |
| Yahweh Beauty Academy | -- | -- | 33 |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 13,001 | 12,481 | 3,575 |
| Temple College | -- | -- | 4,602 |
| Texas A&M University-Central Texas | 70 | 67 | 2,198 |
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