For Immediate Release – September 15, 2026
Lake Land College sees highest Fall enrollment in many years
Enrollment at Lake Land College has reached a new seven-year high, according to the College’s Fall 2026 Census Day Enrollment Report, which was presented to the Board of Trustees during the regular September meeting.
According to the report, 4,313 students are enrolled at Lake Land College for the Fall 2026 semester, surpassing last year’s headcount by more than 4%. Additionally, the report includes a 1.8% increase in Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment, which is the number of total enrolled credit hours divided by the conventional full-time workload of 15 credit hours per semester. For the Fall 2026 semester, FTE at Lake Land College reached 2,611.3, the highest level since 2019.
“Lake Land College for many years has been the number one college destination for students in our district, and we’re thrilled to see that trust and confidence reflected once again in our latest enrollment numbers,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said.
Bullock also noted that Lake Land’s Fall 2026 enrollment is boosted by a strong retention rate, highlighted in the report by a 3.7% increase in the number of continuing students.
“As we recruit and welcome new students, we also strive to ensure that those students find support and belonging on our campus,” Bullock added. “Our retention numbers are evidence that our wrap-around resources, caring faculty and welcoming environment all make Lake Land College a place where students are empowered to achieve their goals.”
Lake Land’s increasing enrollment also points to strong momentum from the College’s ongoing strategic plan, Education that Fits Your Life, which prioritizes flexible, accessible options for students of all ages and backgrounds. For the Fall 2026 semester, enrollment for students above the age of 23 reached a total of 895, surpassing last year’s count by 6.2%. Additionally, part-time enrollment saw a substantial increase in demand for Fall 2026, rising 8.9% over the previous year and accounting for roughly 60% of total student headcount. The increases in these enrollment areas coincide with the introduction of flexible new programs for the Fall semester, including an innovative Competency-Based Education model, which helps students balance their education with work, family and other commitments.
“The creation of our strategic plan marked the start of an ambitious commitment by our leadership to rethink how education works and build solutions that fit the busy lives of modern students,” Bullock noted. “As we continue to move forward with this approach, we are proud to see it already making a sizable impact for our students as we strive to meet their diverse needs and prepare them for successful futures.”
Additional highlights from the report include a 10% increase in headcount and an 11% increase in FTE for high school dual credit enrollment, which totals 1,500 for the Fall 2026 semester. The increase points to continued success from the College’s Laker Connect Dual Credit program, which was recently introduced to strengthen partnerships among area high schools and increase access to higher education. Since the introduction of Laker Connect in Fall 2024, dual credit enrollment has increased by 28.7%, helping more high school students than ever explore career paths, complete college-level credentials and build momentum toward higher education.
Lake Land’s Census Day numbers also point to the College’s strong outreach and connection throughout the many communities within its district, the second largest geographically among all Illinois community colleges. For Fall 2026, roughly 30% of all high school graduates within the district enrolled at Lake Land College, an impressive figure that comes at a time when nearly half of all local high school graduates forgo college altogether. Among these district high schools, 13 of them saw at least 35% of their graduating seniors choose Lake Land College: Altamont High School (50.9%), ALAH High School (41.1%), Beecher City High School (46.7%), Cumberland High School (36.5%), Dieterich Community High School (45.9%), Effingham High School (40.8%), Neoga High School (52.9%), North Clay Community High School (40%), Oakland High School (38.5%), Okaw Valley High School (35.1%), Saint Anthony High School (43.6%), Stewardson-Strasburg Community High School (36.1%) and Windsor High School (37.5%).
“As we continue to see programs like Laker Connect create new opportunities and build widespread partnerships, we are proud to see students all across our district continue to view Lake Land as their community college,” Bullock said. “This impressive growth across so many areas in our latest enrollment report is a tremendous cause for celebration for our College, and it is likewise a source of inspiration for us to continue serving our growing student body with unmatched excellence.”
The Census Day Enrollment Report, finalized on the 10th instructional day of the Fall term, is a standard report among the higher education community that captures opening enrollment data each semester.
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