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 five institutions in the county, two provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University.
At least 9,568 people applied to Forrest County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 19,255 students enrolled in the universities, including 13,616 in undergraduate and 5,639 in graduate programs. In total 8.4% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (60.3%) and Black or African American (27.8%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Southern Mississippi stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 13,526 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.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for Pearl River Community College-Forrest County Campus in Forrest County.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Academy of Hair Design Six | -- | -- | 41 |
| William Carey University | 517 | 279 | 5,662 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 9,051 | 8,960 | 13,526 |
| Unlimited Cosmetology School | -- | -- | 26 |
| Pearl River Community College-Forrest County Campus | -- | -- | -- |
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