St. Lawrence County’s four universities admitted a total of 76.7% of applicants for fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those who were admitted, 15.6% enrolled.
All four institutions in the county provided detailed enrollment data at the time.
At least 17,216 people applied to St. Lawrence County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 11,157 students enrolled in the universities, including 9,731 in undergraduate and 1,426 in graduate programs. In total 5.6% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (73.3%) and Hispanic (8%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Clarkson University stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 3,719 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Lawrence University | 5,172 | 3,258 | 2,175 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam | 3,170 | 2,631 | 2,427 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 2,280 | 2,166 | 2,836 |
| Clarkson University | 6,594 | 5,143 | 3,719 |
