COEUR d'ALENE — Total enrollment at North Idaho College increased 6.2% over last year, according to data provided by NIC, marking seven straight semesters of growth.

Enrollment this fall is 4,955 students as of Thursday, up from 4,666 students at this time last year. That figure is within spitting distance of enrollment numbers last seen in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and NIC's accreditation crisis took their toll. 

It also doesn't factor in dual-credit students, who will continue to trickle in through October and are expected to number between 1,000 and 1,200. 

"This might be the first year since 2019 that we get over 5,000 students," NIC President Nick Swayne said Friday. 

NIC is outpacing national trends. Overall postsecondary enrollment across the country rose about 1% this spring, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, with undergraduate growth driven by a 3% increase in community college enrollment nationwide. 

After two years of strong growth nationwide, enrollment at public two-year institutions rose more modestly by 2.8% this spring, compared with NIC's 7% increase during the same period. 

"This is not a one-semester story anymore," Swayne said. "It's a sustained turnaround." 

He said enrollment growth shows students, families, and the community are placing their trust in NIC. 

Tarie Zimmerman, who serves on the NIC Board of Trustees, echoed that sentiment.  

"As a board, we provide stability, support the president and keep the college focused on its mission," she said. "That steady focus is helping NIC move from recovery to momentum, which is encouraging for students, employees and the entire region." 

Swayne credits NIC's growing enrollment to factors like sharper marketing across multiple channels and outreach to area high schools and the broader community. He also pointed to the college's focus on student support and initiatives like the NIC Guarantee, which goes into effect this fall for the graduating class of 2028. 

The guarantee promises that NIC students who graduate with an associate in applied science degree and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher will be prepared for entry-level employment in their field of study in Idaho, or NIC will provide additional career preparation services at no cost.  

If an eligible graduate isn’t employed within six months of earning a degree, NIC will provide personalized job placement assistance and career coaching, employer referrals through NIC’s regional employer network and tuition-free return to any Workforce Training Center program, up to nine units. 

Swayne said the NIC Guarantee sends a message. 

“The college stands behind the value of what it offers,” he said. 

With many students and families asking "hard questions" about the value of higher education and weighing whether investing in a degree is worthwhile, Swayne said NIC is offering accountability and support for graduates. 

He said those factors, along with the affordability of a two-year degree and the savings local students realize by staying close to home, make institutions like North Idaho College an increasingly attractive option. 

"People are seeing (two-year colleges) not just as a legitimate choice, but as the best choice," he said. 

Swayne also touted the NIC Workforce Training Center. 

"We're seeing a lot of growth there," he said. 

In the 2025-26 school year, NIC Workforce Training served 5,224 students and had 7,828 class enrollments. The center offers hundreds of courses and reaches thousands of learners each year. 

“I think our enrollment reflects the fact that people are looking for training that leads somewhere," said Colby Matilla, NIC executive director of Workforce and Economic Development. "Our programs are built around employer needs and give students a practical and affordable way to gain real-world skills and industry credentials that lead to jobs and career advancement.” 

The center’s trades apprenticeship completion rate for 2024-25 was 90.2%. The U.S. Department of Labor reports the national average was 46.5%. 

In 2026, more than 200 apprentices graduated from the center’s electrical, HVAC, plumbing, heavy equipment operation and construction programs. 

“Our apprenticeship completion rates are one measure of a workforce training approach that works," Matilla said. "We know that when training aligns with industry and students can see a clear connection between what they’re learning and their future, they’re more likely to succeed.”