ANKENY, Iowa — Community college enrollment continues to increase in Iowa, nearly matching pre-COVID-19 pandemic numbers at some schools.
According to the Iowa Department of Education's report, 2023 fall semester enrollment went up at nine of the state's 15 community colleges.
Des Moines Area Community College, better known as DMACC, saw the largest increase in enrollment among Iowa community colleges at 13%, and also the highest number of enrolled students last semester at 24,418.
Part of what has contributed to this increase: joint enrollment, which increased 7.9%. This number includes students in high school, taking college classes for "college credit." Nationally, joint enrollment increased by 8.8% year-over-year.
DMACC student Charis Stafford said tuition prices are one of the reasons she chose to go to community college, but there are other reasons, too.
"There's a lot more hands-on training," Stafford said. "Like they offer a lot of opportunities for me to like immerse myself in the program and experiences. As well as like speakers I can talk to and kind of like gage information from them on."
Stafford, a native of Athens, Georgia, recently relocated to central Iowa to be near her sister, who lives in Des Moines. Stafford just started her first semester at DMACC when spring semester classes began Jan. 8, and her career goal is to become a social worker.
Aside from average tuition costs being lower at a community college, Stafford said students like her chose to go this route in post-secondary education because of smaller classes sizes.
"I feel more connected here this first year, than I have anywhere else," she said. "'Cause I've tried school before, but never made that connection. But here, they really make sure to push you into getting out of your bubble and interacting. And I love that."
DMACC's longest-serving president, Rob Denson, added: "You really do get to know your faculty member, and I think that's what makes a difference."
At DMACC, they have an average class size of 18 students, Denson said.
Part-time enrollment at Iowa community colleges also reached an all-time high of total enrollment during the fall 2023 semester at 66.7% of all community college students.
"We take students where they are, and that may be the only way they're able to come to any college, is on a part-time basis," Denson said.
According to the department's report, online enrollment also increased by 5.9% compared to the year before, number of online credit hours increased 4.5% and online enrollment as a percentage of total enrollment increased to 51% (3% higher than in the fall 2022 semester).