Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Of the four institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences and Southeast Missouri State University.
At least 7,123 people applied to Cape Girardeau County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 10,331 students enrolled in the universities, including 8,858 in undergraduate and 1,473 in graduate programs. In total 5.5% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (78.3%) and Black or African American (8.1%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Southeast Missouri State University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 9,927 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center | -- | -- | 216 |
| Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 31 | 8 | 134 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | 7,092 | 6,099 | 9,927 |
| Trend Setters School | -- | -- | 54 |
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