UH Student Enrollment Down on Maui College Campus and Across the State

Enrollment at the University of Hawaii Maui College campus is down to 2,992 students, a 3.2 percent drop this fall semester when compared to fall 2018.

It’s a trend attributed to the state’s low unemployment numbers as well as other factors. Overall the headcount enrollment at the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System decreased by about 2 percent in the fall 2019 semester compared to fall 2018, from 51,063 students to 49,977 students.

“We continue to refine our analytics to understand very specifically our enrollment successes as well as shortfalls,” said UH President David Lassner. “In spite of the challenges in competing with a strong labor market, we performed well in many key areas including first-time freshmen, rising four-year graduation rates and continued early college success. We need to do more to increase student recruitment, retention and transfer within the system.”

Nine of the 10 UH campuses saw reductions in enrollment, reflecting the national trend of declining enrollment since peak highs following the 2008 recession. Windward Community College is the only UH campus to see an enrollment increase with 2.4-percent growth.

Campus headcount enrollment numbers are as follows:

UH System—49,977 students (-2.1 percent)
UH Mānoa—17,490 students (-1.2 percent)
UH Hilo—3,372 students (-1 percent)
UH West Oʻahu—3,049 (-2.5 percent)
UH Community Colleges—26,066 students (-2.8 percent)
Hawaiʻi Community College—2,615 students (-0.6 percent)
Honolulu Community College—3,510 students (-0.9 percent)
Kapiʻolani Community College—6,488 students (-6 percent)
Kauaʻi Community College—1,373 students (-7.6 percent)
Leeward Community College—6,568 students (-2.1 percent)
UH Maui College—2,992 students (-3.2 percent)
Windward Community College—2,520 students (2.4 percent)

University officials note that UH Maui is coming of its highest number of grads ever with 701 graduates, nearly a ten percent increase from the year before, a factor that contributes to the decline in enrollment numbers this fall.

Nationally, colleges and universities have averaged a 7 percent drop in enrollment from 2010 to 2017.

For the full informational release go to the University of Hawaii News webpage.