For-Profit College Enrollment on the Rise

Enrollment is booming at colleges across the country, including the nation’s for-profit institutions.

Among 10 of the largest for-profit college companies, enrollment in the quarter that ended June 30 was from 12 percent to more than 100 percent greater than during the same time last year, the Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported. Most companies saw their enrollment increase by at least 20 percent.

For-profit schools also are known as proprietary colleges.

Education Management Corp., the company that owns 22 Brown Mackie campuses across the country — including Brown Mackie College-South Bend — reported enrollment of 112,700 for the quarter that ended June 30, up from 91,600 a year earlier, the Chronicle reported. That’s a 23 percent increase.

ITT Educational Services is the Carmel, Ind.,-based private company that operates more than 100 technical schools, including ITT Technical Institute in South Bend. ITT Educational Services reported national enrollment of 69,127 for the second quarter, up from 54,793 a year earlier — a 26 percent increase.

ITT Tech, at 17390 Dugdale Drive in South Bend, recently expanded the size of its facility from about 15,000 square feet to more than 28,000 square feet.

Campus director Leon Baker declined to provide current enrollment or the rate of growth at the local campus. ITT Tech offers a variety of degree programs in information technology , electronics, design and criminal justice.

SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE