In the academic year 2022-2023, a total of 1,441,360 students have enrolled in four-years colleges in California including undergraduate and graduate programs.

Compared to the population of 10 years ago, the the number of students increased by 5.7% from 1,363,590 to 1,441,360. The undergraduate population increased by 2.84% and the graduate population increased by 16.79% in last 10 years at California Colleges.

By gender, there are 824,930 women students and 616,430 men students enrolled in the schools. The women students increased by 8.93% and men students increased by 1.68% in that period.

Student Population Changes

The average number of students over the past 10 years is 1,440,405, and 1,441,360 students were attending the schools in the academic year 2022-2023.

Of the total students, 78.28% are undergraduate students and 21.72% are graduate students. Over the past 10, the number of undergraduate students increased by 32,107, and the graduate student enrollment increased by 30,254.

The women to men ratio is 1.34 to 1, meaning that there are more women students enrolled in California Colleges than men students.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in student population by gender at California Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalUndergraduateGraduate
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-141,363,5901,084,096484,800599,296279,494121,456158,038
2014-151,404,000
40,410		1,121,468
37,372		501,969
17,169		619,499
20,203		282,532
3,038		123,178
1,722		159,354
1,316
2015-161,414,408
10,408		1,129,987
8,519		507,446
5,477		622,541
3,042		284,421
1,889		123,124
-54		161,297
1,943
2016-171,432,234
17,826		1,146,198
16,211		513,413
5,967		632,785
10,244		286,036
1,615		121,893
-1,231		164,143
2,846
2017-181,454,008
21,774		1,152,423
6,225		513,642
229		638,781
5,996		301,585
15,549		126,259
4,366		175,326
11,183
2018-191,462,427
8,419		1,155,517
3,094		511,814
-1,828		643,703
4,922		306,910
5,325		126,255
-4		180,655
5,329
2019-201,469,723
7,296		1,159,473
3,956		511,411
-403		648,062
4,359		310,250
3,340		125,717
-538		184,533
3,878
2020-211,475,416
5,693		1,152,006
-7,467		501,625
-9,786		650,381
2,319		323,410
13,160		128,796
3,079		194,614
10,081
2021-221,486,881
11,465		1,149,730
-2,276		505,220
3,595		644,510
-5,871		337,151
13,741		133,563
4,767		203,588
8,974
2022-231,441,360
-45,521		1,114,936
-34,794		487,980
-17,240		626,956
-17,554		326,424
-10,727		128,450
-5,113		197,974
-5,614
Average1,440,4051,136,583503,932632,651303,821125,869177,952
California Colleges Student Population Trends Chart

Undergraduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Undergraduate students over the past 10 years is 1,136,583. Compared 10 years ago, the number of Undergraduate students increased by 30,840 from 1,084,096 to 1,114,936.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Undergraduate enrollment by attending status and gender at California Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-141,084,096818,798359,590459,208265,298125,210140,088
2014-151,121,468854,266376,070478,196267,202125,899141,303
2015-161,129,987856,178377,856478,322273,809129,590144,219
2016-171,146,198866,272381,114485,158279,926132,299147,627
2017-181,152,423877,136384,494492,642275,287129,148146,139
2018-191,155,517880,654384,053496,601274,863127,761147,102
2019-201,159,473885,845385,094500,751273,628126,317147,311
2020-211,152,006859,338366,427492,911292,668135,198157,470
2021-221,149,730859,231368,433490,798290,499136,787153,712
2022-231,114,936835,394359,427475,967279,542128,553150,989
Average1,136,5831,136,583374,256485,0551,136,583129,676147,596
California Colleges Undergraduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Graduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Graduate students over the past 10 years is 303,821. Compared 10 years ago, the number of Graduate students increased by 46,930 from 279,494 to 326,424.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Graduate enrollment by attending status and gender at California Colleges since 2014.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2013-14279,494196,62386,882109,74182,87134,57448,297
2014-15282,532200,76788,913111,85481,76534,26547,500
2015-16284,421202,05088,823113,22782,37134,30148,070
2016-17286,036204,20388,203116,00081,83333,69048,143
2017-18301,585211,21290,568120,64490,37335,69154,682
2018-19306,910215,06690,812124,25491,84435,44356,401
2019-20310,250216,99690,140126,85693,25435,57757,677
2020-21323,410216,47087,087129,383106,94041,70965,231
2021-22337,151229,90792,575137,332107,24440,98866,256
2022-23326,424227,76691,691136,07598,65836,75961,899
Average303,821303,82189,569122,537303,82136,30055,416
California Colleges Graduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity Changes

The percentage of white students is 24.56% and the percentage of black students is 5.70% at California Colleges. 16.86% of enrolled students is Asian.

The following table and chart illustrate the student population trends by race/ethnicity at California Colleges over the past 10 years (2013-2023).

YearAmerican Indian or Native AmericanAsianBlackHispanicNative Hawaiian or Other Pacific IslanderWhiteTwo or More Races
2013-145,319220,37690,344364,9636,771446,36655,524
2014-155,038222,95189,962394,6116,935434,60260,373
2015-164,701224,76486,615417,4336,218421,12161,734
2016-174,723226,45686,346437,3386,015409,44462,655
2017-184,496228,74283,989456,5206,242402,81265,764
2018-194,270230,06882,047473,3776,371390,09466,209
2019-204,289230,56882,445486,1246,266384,39366,144
2020-214,143238,17784,938490,3526,317378,77666,873
2021-223,890239,76682,575487,6275,816369,40167,783
2022-233,889240,38481,259496,4675,405350,23268,645
Average4,476230,22585,052450,4816,236398,72464,170
California Colleges Student Population by Race Trends Chart

Distance Learning (Online Courses) Enrollment Changes

294,076 students are enrolled in online degree programs exclusively for the academic year 2022-2023, which is 21% of total students. The number of online students has increased 92.85% since 2013.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in the online student population by enrolled type at California Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

YearTotal EnrollmentOnline CompletelyEnrolled in Some Online CoursesNot Enrolled in Online Courses
2012-131,350,612152,486127,4061,070,720
2013-141,363,590147,360137,7421,078,488
2014-151,404,000147,285150,3771,106,338
2015-161,414,408147,142186,1741,081,092
2016-171,432,234158,050216,3451,057,839
2017-181,454,008164,796239,6071,049,605
2018-191,462,427171,566260,5361,030,325
2019-201,469,723181,138282,7001,005,885
2020-211,473,9381,073,604180,349219,985
2021-221,486,881483,696549,228453,957
2022-231,441,360294,076425,353721,931
Average1,432,107283,745250,529897,833