Enrollment at Massachusetts' 15 community colleges rose 3.9% this fall to nearly 90,000 students, according to new Department of Higher Education figures the state released Oct. 26.
The Healey administration says enrollment is up more than 43%, or about 27,000 students, since 2022. Officials released the figures during a visit to MassBay Community College in Framingham.
MassBay enrolled a record 5,555 students, according to the state, a 59% increase since free community college began. About half its students are benefiting from the free-college programs, according to the state announcement.
Massachusetts first made community college tuition and fees free for eligible residents age 25 and older, then expanded the program to younger residents. Eligible students can also receive assistance for books, supplies and other attendance costs.
Enrollment alone does not show whether students finish a credential. The state also reported that 62.2% of community college students returned for a second fall semester, and that its measure of on-time credit completion reached 40.3%.
Across all Massachusetts public colleges and universities, preliminary undergraduate enrollment rose 2.2% to nearly 176,000. The state's nine state universities recorded their first enrollment increase since 2013.