Howard Community College Enrollment Grows by Nearly 5%

COLUMBIA, MD – Enrollment at Howard Community College (HCC) has grown by more than 4.6% over the last year, HCC President Daria J. Willis announced today. The increase is two percent higher than the full-time equivalent (FTE) statewide average and establishes the college’s final headcount numbers as the school’s highest figure since 2020.

"We meet students where they dream," says Dr. Willis. "We shape our communications, services, course offerings, and engagement strategies to account for the diversity of Dragon Country and students' priorities in managing higher education. From the first meeting at a college fair to that final big hug at commencement, we work for Dragons to know that they are cared for and supported. This number truly showcases the hard work of our admissions, enrollment, financing, and advising offices who tirelessly advocate for student success."

According to final statistics reported to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 39% of the growth is attributed to student retention in the college's dual enrollment program with the Howard County Public School System. The number complements a 14% increase in international student enrollment and a 7% increase among Howard County residents.

"Howard Community College is emerging as a college of choice for a diverse body of learners," says Dr. Shantay Grays, Provost and Executive Vice President. "We will continue to prioritize innovation and excellence in our career pathways to remain as a best-in-class teaching and learning resource for Howard County and the state of Maryland."

Enrollment management executives also attribute the leap to increased financial support for students and an emphasis on wraparound support services. "We took a proactive approach to leveraging our institutional aid to support enrollment," says Tamika Bybee, Interim Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services. "We were able this year to assist students who expressed interest in returning to HCC but needed help with an institutional balance, thanks in great part to investments from state and county officials and our philanthropic partners."

"This outreach, in addition to direct communications with part-time students to build awareness about funding options, helped us to convert and retain more students in full-time status."

Howard Community College was recently named among the nation's top two-year colleges by Niche, an online college selection and data resource for families. HCC ranked #92 among all two-year institutions and the top community college in the Baltimore metropolitan area. It is the second top-ranking announcement for HCC in recent weeks, as the college was also named among the nation's best schools for international students by Study International, and one of the nation's best two-year colleges by Wallet Hub.

HCC enrolls more than 20,000 credit and non-credited students of all ages from more than 104 countries and yields more than $343 million in economic impact as one of Howard County's largest employers.