These 3 colleges are shrinking while CSU enrollment rebounds

"The university system recorded about a 2% increase in student enrollment for the fall 2025 term, or 471,451 students, which marks the biggest year-over-year increase in a decade, the CSU said in a Monday news release. This is also the second year in a row that the system has seen growth after the pandemic's sharp enrollment crash. The total number of students this year includes 416,531 undergraduate students, a 2% increase from last year, and 54,920 graduate students, about a 3% increase from last year."

"There are approximately 9,000 more full-time undergraduate students than last year, amounting to a total head count of 369,097. Cal State Bakersfield led the system with 11,195 students this fall, up 11.5% from 10,036 last year. The university appointed a new president in 2024, Vernon B. Harper Jr., who served as the interim president the year before and said he wanted to expand recruitment and transfer programs for Kern County high school graduates and community college students."

"Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino and San José State also had some of the highest enrollment jumps compared to 2024. The universities had respective increases of 7.1%, 6.4% and 6.5%, according to the data. In recent college rankings lists, San José State specifically has also made significant improvements, jumping 157 slots last year in the Wall Street Journal's 2025 list of the best colleges in the U.S."

California State University enrollment increased about 2% for fall 2025, reaching 471,451 students, the largest year-over-year rise in a decade. Undergraduate enrollment reached 416,531 students, up 2%, and graduate enrollment reached 54,920 students, up about 3%. Approximately 9,000 more undergraduates are enrolled full-time, bringing the full-time undergraduate head count to 369,097. Cal State Bakersfield led the system with 11,195 students, an 11.5% increase from last year, and appointed Vernon B. Harper Jr. as president in 2024 to expand local recruitment and transfer programs. Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino and San José State posted notable gains, while three campuses continue to see declines, including two in the Bay Area. Central Valley enrollment growth contrasts with low college completion rates identified in a 2024 Public Policy Institute of California study.

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