San Antonio Colleges Saw Enrollment Increases This Fall
Higher education institutions in the city have reported significant shifts in student totals for the current academic term.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in College Applications
Live Poll
Do you feel local colleges are successfully accommodating the growing number of area students?
More than 166,000 students have enrolled in public and private institutions across San Antonio this fall. The Alamo Colleges District surpassed a major milestone by exceeding 100,000 total enrolled students.
Why it matters
Enrollment growth at institutions like the University of Texas at San Antonio has been bolstered by recent institutional mergers, while broader population trends continue to influence attendance at private schools like Trinity University.
Alamo Colleges District reached 101,714 total students, while the University of Texas at San Antonio saw 5% growth since fall 2025. Conversely, Our Lady of the Lake University enrollment declined by nearly 12% to 1,550 students.
The players
Alamo Colleges District
This community college system serves the San Antonio area and recently surpassed 100,000 total enrolled students.
University of Texas at San Antonio
A public research university that grew its student body following its 2025 merger with UT Health San Antonio.
Trinity University
A private liberal arts institution in San Antonio that has seen enrollment increases attributed to state population growth.
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
A regional university that recorded a 1% enrollment increase this fall amid federal financial aid process adjustments.
Our Lady of the Lake University
A private Catholic university in San Antonio that reported a nearly 12% decline in enrollment this fall.
The details
The University of Texas at San Antonio growth is tied to its 2025 merger with UT Health San Antonio, while Trinity University added 654 freshmen to its 2,616 total enrollment. Texas A&M University-San Antonio saw a 1% increase, enrolling 1,322 first-time-in-college students despite ongoing shifts in federal financial aid processing.
Timeline
2012-13: Texas public high school graduates totaled 301,390.
2023: Trinity University began regaining students after a pandemic-era decline.
Fall 2024: Texas A&M University-San Antonio enrollment reached a peak of 7,912.
Fall 2025: Texas A&M University-San Antonio enrollment declined by 3.5%.
2026-27: Texas high school graduates are projected to reach 375,520.
Culture Shift
The rise in local college enrollment follows the projected increase of Texas public high school graduates to 375,520 by the 2026-27 academic year. This trend suggests that institutions are preparing for a larger demographic of students as the state's population continues to climb.
Students and families should note that shifting enrollment numbers may impact campus resources and availability for incoming class sizes. Prospective applicants are encouraged to monitor individual university updates regarding financial aid to understand how procedural changes might affect their specific tuition costs.
The takeaway
Prospective students should stay informed about how institutional mergers and changing financial aid processes affect their college choices. Researching specific enrollment trends at your target schools can help you better navigate the admissions landscape in San Antonio.
Further reading
For more context on local higher education trends, explore College Applications.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Antonio Report.
Live Poll
Do you feel local colleges are successfully accommodating the growing number of area students?
