Students walk toward the Hillside Suites residence halls during the first day of the fall 2026 semester on the Jamestown Campus.
Student enrollment is up at Jamestown Community College.
The college is reporting a 7% increase over fall 2025 enrollment as of September 14, the census date for fall semester classes. As of the census, JCC had 2,115 students, up from 1,979 at the same point last year.
The greatest growth has been among students taking classes exclusively online and part-time students, with many belonging to both groups.
The number of online-only students increased 37.9%, from 575 last year to 793 this year. Part-time enrollment increased by 25.8%, from 694 to 873.
The number of first-time, full-time students also increased, from 509 to 540, a 6.1% jump.
JCC saw a similar 5.6% increase in total student headcount from spring 2025 to spring 2026. In addition, State University of New York data released in November 2025 showed that JCC ranked second among SUNY community colleges for overall enrollment growth between fall 2020 and fall 2025.
JCC officials said that SUNY Reconnect has been an important part of JCC’s enrollment growth, helping adults who may have started college previously or never had the opportunity to earn a degree. The program provides free community college for eligible New York adults ages 25 to 55 pursuing degrees in high-demand fields. JCC reported 115 Reconnect students during the fall 2025 semester and 150 during the spring 2026 semester.
Through SUNY Reconnect, eligible students can pursue select JCC degrees in healthcare, computer technology, education, and advanced manufacturing with the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies covered after other financial aid is applied. Students can attend full or part time, and many eligible programs offer online and flexible course options.
JCC’s Direct Support Professional micro-credentials and certificate programs provide free coursework to regional professionals working in the field and have added to part-time enrollment growth.
JCC’s partnerships with the New York Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) program and North Collins Correctional Facility have provided additional enrollment opportunities for regional high school students pursuing manufacturing education and incarcerated individuals taking college classes.
JCC’s enrollment growth has contributed to an increase among SUNY community colleges as a whole. According to SUNY, community college enrollment has increased by more than 9% over the last three years.
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