Key Takeaways
- Kansas university enrollment grows 0.7% in fall 2026.
- Community college enrollment falls 1.9% statewide.
- Technical colleges see a sharper 6.8% enrollment decline.
Kansas public universities report modest enrollment growth this fall, but overall enrollment across the 32 institutions coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents declines as community and technical colleges lose students.
Universities Post Modest Growth
The regents system enrolls 177,768 students in fall 2026, down 1,356, or 0.8%, from a year ago. The system had recorded enrollment growth in each of the previous three years.
The six public universities posted a 0.7% increase in Kansas university enrollment. Emporia State University leads the group with a 6% gain to 5,110 students, followed by Fort Hays State University, up 4% to 13,359.
Kansas State University reaches 20,789 students, up 0.3%, while the University of Kansas grows 0.5% to 27,352. Pittsburg State University falls 0.6% to 5,766, and Wichita State University declines 2.5% to 18,003, the largest drop among the six universities.
“After three years of growth, our system is experiencing flat enrollment this fall, with uneven results across sectors and institutions,” said Alysia Johnston, chair of the Kansas Board of Regents.
Long-Term Trends Vary By Campus
Kansas university enrollment pressures are tied to declining birth rates and rising college costs, increasing competition for traditional college-age students in Kansas and nationally.
Several universities remain below their enrollment levels from five years ago. Emporia State is down 9% over that period, while its 10-year decline is 13.2%. Fort Hays State is down 8.9% over 10 years, Kansas State 10.8%, and Pittsburg State 18.8%.
Wichita State, however, reports 24.4% growth over the past decade, driven in part by recruitment of international students. Its enrollment now falls sharply after graduate enrollment drops 16.2%, including a 23.9% decline among international graduate students.
“This year’s enrollment reflects both the opportunities and challenges facing higher education,” said Richard Muma, president of Wichita State.
The University of Kansas reports a record combined enrollment of 31,464 students across its Lawrence campus, Johnson County satellite and medical center, an increase of 295 students. Its freshman class totals 4,834 students, the fourth largest in university history, although freshman enrollment declines 4.1% from 2025.
Community And Technical Colleges Lose Ground
Technical colleges enroll 11,412 students, down 6.8% from 2025. Flint Hills Technical College records the steepest decline, at 29%, while Wichita State’s technical college falls 0.8%.
Even after the drop, technical college enrollment remains 20% above its level five years ago and 47% higher than a decade ago, following years of state investment in tuition subsidies.
Enrollment at Kansas’ 19 community colleges falls 1.9% to 63,605, a loss of 1,246 students, reflecting broader Kansas university enrollment trends. Highland Community College posts a 12.3% increase, while Pratt Community College drops 12.9%.
Changes to a Kansas program that subsidizes career and technical courses for high school students also affect enrollment. Rules adopted in 2026 limit the program to high school juniors and seniors and require a minimum 2.0 grade-point average for students to receive college credit.
The changes were expected to reduce enrollment at community and technical colleges.
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