North Idaho College enrollment rises for fall semester

COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College is back. 

That’s what college leaders are saying, with school starting this week and enrollment numbers showing significant increases in every major category for the first time in more than a decade.

Overall enrollment is up 7% over last year, with 2,914 students enrolled at NIC as of Monday, compared to 2,717 students last fall.

In the career and technical education category, 179 first-time, degree-seeking students are enrolled, an increase over this time last year when 141 such students were enrolled.

These figures don’t include dual credit numbers because high schools haven’t started yet. Dual credit is expected to be up, too, with late-start classes factoring into enrollment numbers. Enrollment will be finalized Oct. 16.

“Diesel technology is full. Welding and HVAC are full. Our graphic design program had to open up another cohort to accommodate the demand — we’re back,” NIC President Nick Swayne said Friday. “People recognize the quality education they can receive at NIC. They recognize the huge number of opportunities we offer. And they can do it all on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country? It’s easy to see the attraction.”

The welding program is at capacity with 24 students, as are the diesel technology and HVAC programs, with 17 and 14 students, respectively.

The nursing program has a full cohort of 40 students. The radiography technology program is also full, with a 10-student cohort. Graphic design opened a new cohort after hitting a 16-student capacity; the second cohort is nearly full, with 14 students as of Monday.

All told, NIC administrators say conditions look favorable for this to be the first increase in overall enrollment, excluding dual credit numbers, since Fall 2011.

The college has been building momentum for a while.

Summer enrollment was up, too, with 1,091 students enrolled for the summer session in late June, an increase of 16% over the prior year. Those students took a combined 5,042 credits.

Swayne attributed the enrollment increases to the hard work and recruiting efforts of NIC employees. 

Morgan Ahrens, 21, from Pueblo, Colo., was one of many students who moved into the dorms on campus Saturday. The dorms are full this year, with 198 students.

Ahrens said she chose NIC because of the scenery and the quality of the physical therapist assistant program.

“The program is really competitive,” she said. “It’s very immersive. I love it because everyone’s very passionate about it.” 

Swayne also pointed to the number of first-time, degree-seeking students attending NIC full time. That number is especially exciting, he said — 585, an increase over 451 last year.

“To me, that’s a signal that people are fully onboard and believe in us,” Swayne said. “Most of these students have graduated high school and are making the decision to attend NIC for the full two years to earn their associates degree.” 

The NIC Workforce Training Center in Post Falls is seeing a similar surge. Courses at the Workforce Training Center are non-degree courses that offer apprenticeships and certificates. 

The Workforce Training Center had an 8.9% increase in enrollments from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024, according to NIC. 

Vicki Isakson is the dean of instruction for workforce education and oversees both the degree and non-degree career and technical courses offered through Workforce Training Center and at NIC’s Parker Technical Education Center in Rathdrum. 

For the first time since the Parker Center opened its doors to students in 2016, Isakson said, the building is near capacity. 

“I think the increased enrollment is a combination of factors,” she said. “State LAUNCH funding, more outreach to the community, greater marketing — all the efforts of many, many, people are paying off. It’s an exciting time to be at NIC.”    

Though many classes are full, Swayne said NIC still has opportunities for students, including multiple start dates for accelerated courses. 

“Reach out to us and we’ll find a place for you,” he said. 

    Student Morgan Ahrens talks to North Idaho College staff as she prepares to check into her dorm room.
 TOM GREENE/North Idaho College