North Central College Sets Record Enrollment for Third Year in a Row

North Central College has reported the highest enrollment in its 165-year history, welcoming 3,218 students for the 2026-27 academic year. This marks the third year in a row that the institution has experienced record total enrollment, after reporting enrollment totals of 3,003 in 2024-25 and 3,179 in 2025-26. This year’s figure includes 527 graduate students, and an all-time high of 2,691 undergraduate students, eclipsing last year’s record of 2,632 undergraduates.

“Achieving another year of record enrollment is a powerful affirmation of the confidence students and their families have in North Central College,” said President Abiódún Gòkè-Paríolá. “Students have many options when it comes to higher education. It’s rewarding to see an increasing number of students choose to make North Central their academic home in the world-class city of Naperville. Here they experience rigorous academics combined with personalized support and the opportunities to make meaningful, real-world connections.”

North Central’s record enrollment comes at a time when institutions across the country, and particularly in the Midwest, are grappling with significant demographic and economic pressures. Amid such pressure, the College has continued to expand its academic offerings and identify opportunities for growth, including in the graduate health sciences. Over the past decade, North Central has introduced nine advanced clinical practice programs and two post-graduate programs within the fields of athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and nursing. And this fall semester, North Central debuted a new minor in applied artificial intelligence for non-technical majors.

“We are a 165-year-old institution that continues to evolve to provide the types of programs students are looking for and the education they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” said Gòkè-Paríolá. “Record enrollment speaks volumes about North Central’s dedicated faculty and staff who create a campus environment where students can discover their strengths, pursue their passions, and build lives of purpose and impact.”

2026-27 Enrollment Snapshot:

• 3,218 total students
  • 2,691 undergraduate students
    • Represent 38 U.S. states and 24 countries
    • 54% female
    • 46% male
    • 39% identify as underrepresented minority
    • 40% identify as first-generation college students
    • 30% are student-athletes
    • 45% live on campus
  • 527 graduate students
    • Represent 27 U.S. states
    • 74% female
    • 26% male
    • 33% identify as underrepresented minority
    • 2% student-athletes

About North Central College

Founded in 1861, North Central College is located just 28 miles west of Chicago in the Historic District of Naperville, Ill. — named among the nation’s “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine — and is home to over 3,200 students and offers more than 90 undergraduate majors, 70 undergraduate minors and concentrations, and 30 graduate degree, graduate certificate, and graduate-level endorsement programs. Visit northcentralcollege.edu to discover why U.S. News & World Report has named North Central a “Best in the Midwest” school for more than 30 years in a row, and to learn more about the College’s state-of-the-art facilities and distinctive programs, particularly in the sciences and business.

Prospective students and families interested in learning more about North Central College can visit northcentralcollege.edu/why-ncc. Students interested in applying can go to northcentralcollege.edu/admissions/apply or set up a campus visit at northcentralcollege.edu/admissions/visit.