Dual enrollment surges at North Idaho College

COEUR d’ALENE — Dual credit enrollment has increased dramatically at North Idaho College this fall, according to new data, boosting an already positive enrollment picture.

A total of 1,621 dual credit students were enrolled at NIC as of Friday, an increase of a little more than 37% over last year, when 1,182 combined continuing and first-time dual credit students were enrolled. 

NIC President Nick Swayne attributes the enrollment increases to a “massive, college-wide mission with a clearly defined objective.” Someone walking around campus could ask just about any NIC employee about current enrollment and hear the latest numbers, he said. 

“The focused effort on marketing and advertising, focusing on the student experience, engaging with the community and adapting our programs to meet community needs — that’s what has really made the difference,” Swayne said Friday. 

Overall enrollment is up 15% over last fall, with 4,475 students enrolled at NIC as of Saturday. This total includes dual credit students. Regular, non-dual credit enrollment is up 6% over last year. 

Swayne said this matters because enrollment numbers directly impact the state funding NIC receives. 

“The stats for new students are really important because those are students who are now progressing through NIC and most will be part of future enrollment counts,” he said. “These numbers signal a promising future for the college.” 

Combined, continuing and first-time dual credit students have increased 37% over last year, with 1,621 such students enrolled as of Friday, compared to 1,182 in fall 2023. 

The number of new, first-time dual credit students is up about 60% over last year, with 947 students enrolled as of Friday. At this point last fall, there were 579 new, first-time dual credit students. 

Dual credit enrollment has more than doubled among Coeur d’Alene High School students, rising from 213 students during the previous year to 434 as of Friday. 

A total of 339 Lake City High School students are dual enrolled at NIC this year, an increase of 109 students over last year, or about 47%. 

Proportionally, Timberlake High School saw the most dramatic increase in dual enrollment numbers, with 47 students dual enrolled at NIC, compared to 11 students last fall. 

NIC is using a new enrollment dashboard to track data year over year. Since dual credit students began enrolling a few weeks ago, the line showing progress over 2023 enrollment numbers has gone vertical — headed almost literally off the chart. 

“We’re still adding dual credit and multi-start classes, so this week we’re going to have to redo our dashboard to fit the line in,” Interim Provost Lloyd Duman said Saturday. “It’s a good problem to have.” 

Of interest, Duman said, is a demographic shift seen this fall. The number of male students enrolled at NIC rose from 1,464 in fall 2023 to 1,822 this year, an increase of nearly 25%. 

A 2023 Pew Research study found that college enrollment among Americans aged 18 to 24 has declined gradually over the past decade, largely due to fewer young men pursuing college. 

About 39% of young men who have completed high school are enrolled in college, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, down from 47% in 2011. 

At NIC, male students make up about 40% of the student body. 

“NIC is really bucking a downward trend that’s affecting colleges and universities everywhere,” Duman said. “We’re not exactly sure why and we need to explore that figure more, but I suspect it’s tied into our increase in CTE students, which are traditionally more male-dominated classes.” 

Nationwide, the shift among young women is smaller, with 48% of female high school graduates enrolled in college today, compared to 52% in 2011. 

The number of female students at NIC has increased by about 10% since last fall, with 2,653 such students enrolled in fall 2024, compared to 2,407 the previous year. 

Among them is Abbie Harrington, a first-year student and member of ASNIC, the college’s student government. 

Harrington said what drew her to NIC was the affordable tuition and the ability to transfer credits to a four-year college if she chooses to continue her education beyond an associate’s degree. 

“And North Idaho is beautiful,” she added. “What’s not to love about this campus?” 

    This chart, compiled by NIC, shows the overall student headcount in 2023 and 2024.