BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Community College's spring enrollment rose 15.9% from last year at this time, according to a news release from the college Tuesday.
An unofficial count showed 7,418 enrolled students on Tuesday, the 11th day of spring semester classes, according to the release. It's an increase of 1,016 from the 6,402 students reported as of the 11th day of the spring 2022 semester, according to the release.
"Such magnitude of growth in our spring enrollment is a direct result of our NWACC faculty and staff being so diligent and intentional in taking care of students inside and outside of the classroom," Justin White, vice president of student services, said in the release. "I am proud to see such hard work pay off in restoring numbers toward pre-pandemic enrollment."
The 2023 numbers are preliminary and unofficial, according to the release. The state Department of Higher Education requires institutions to take a snapshot of enrollment on the 11th day of spring classes. But the total enrollment figure might include information the 11th-day numbers given to the Department of Higher Education don't, according to the release.
Last fall semester, the college had 7,593 students, an increase of 7.9% from the fall 2021 enrollment of 7,037, according to the college's 2022-23 Fact Book.
The college receives much of its revenue from students' tuition and fees.
Students who live within the college's district -- defined as the Bentonville and Rogers school districts -- pay $79 per credit hour, according to the college's website. Other in-state students pay $145 per credit hour. Tuition costs $164 per credit hour for out-of-state students and $215 for international students.
Northwest Arkansas Community College is the largest two-year college in the state.
Public two-year colleges weathered significant enrollment declines after the start of the covid-19 pandemic, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Northwest Arkansas Community College's enrollment was 7,357 for the spring 2020 semester; covid-19 struck in the middle of that semester. Enrollment plunged to 6,574 for the spring 2021 semester, and dropped again to 6,162 for the spring 2022 semester, according to official headcounts listed in the Fact Book.