Barton Community College emerged as one of the leaders in enrollment growth across the state, with an initial increase of 5% in students for the fall semester, which is the third-largest increase in the state amongst community colleges.
Preliminary 20th-day enrollment numbers for the fall state census were released on Oct. 2 by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), and Barton’s total headcount is 5,348 students. This early growth establishes Barton as the second-largest community college by headcount for the ninth consecutive year. Additionally, the college has seen a 24.8% increase over the past five years, which is the second-largest increase in the state across all community colleges.
Barton President Dr. Marcus Garstecki said this growth reflects the college’s ongoing commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education.
“I’m really proud of our fall preliminary enrollment numbers,” he said. “This increase highlights Barton’s commitment to providing a quality, affordable education and a pathway for students to achieve their personal goals. It’s exciting to see the growth occurring in various programs across the college. This growth is a direct result of the dedicated faculty and staff we have at Barton.”
Overall, the state of Kansas saw a preliminary enrollment increase for the fall semester of 2.2%, while community colleges saw an uptick of 0.8%. Barton is seeing significant enrollment growth this fall in programs such as networking, natural gas, plumbing, construction tech, music, nursing, and emergency medical services.
For access to additional statewide enrollment data, visit kansasregents.gov.