Enrollment falls at Oregon universities and community colleges

(NOVEMBER 11, 2018) Fewer and fewer students are attending Oregon universities and community colleges. The number of students was higher when the economy was worse. Now the economy is better, so fewer people are going to college. The biggest drop is among students from Oregon; if they attend college at all, many are now choosing to go to a college in another state.

The low number of students even forced one college to close. Marylhurst University was 125 years old, but it announced its closure earlier this year.

There is another interesting trend. For many years, the number of students from outside Oregon grew. In fact, it doubled from 2006 to 2017. However, in the fall of 2018, the number of international students fell. At Portland State University (PSU), for example, the number of international students dropped 8 percent. This reflects what is happening at most schools in the state.

“The president’s immigration policies are some of the factors that add to an already difficult situation ...” says Ken Ma, director of media and public relations at PSU.

International students are important for the economy. Their attendance supports schools financially and culturally, while they also help the local economy because they pay rent, buy groceries, take local transportation, and spend money on entertainment. According to the Portland Business Journal, international students in Oregon spent $471.6 million in 2016-2017.