PennWest reports smallest year-over-year enrollment drop since 2022 consolidation

Pennsylvania Western University’s newest enrollment numbers show retention improvements and growth in its online offerings.

In a Tuesday announcement, PennWest said it enrolled 10,542 students for fall 2026. Total enrollment decreased by just six students from fall 2025, the smallest decrease since its creation in 2022.

Student retention improved to 73.06%, up from 71.11% last fall. Global Online, PennWest’s online offerings, grew 10%, with 4,908 students studying online this fall.