Inland Northwest colleges share a common thread with universities across the nation when it comes to what majors students are pursuing.

According to data shared recently by five colleges in the region, the most popular majors, perhaps not surprisingly, are linked closely to job demand in the professional world.

Majors in the fields of health care and computer sciences are among the fastest growing at Gonzaga University, Eastern Washington University, Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, and the University of Idaho-Coeur d’Alene.

Jeff Bunch, communications director for Community Colleges of Spokane, which includes SCC and SFCC, says computer science and early childhood education are the fastest growing fields at SFCC.

Data compiled by Community Colleges of Spokane and released by Bunch shows that SFCC saw a 174% increase in computer science majors in 2023 versus 2021, while early childhood education realized a 29% increase during the same period.

At SCC, cardiac care-related and radiology majors experienced a 275% increase over the same period, and interest in respiratory care studies increased 34%, Bunch says.

Students entering the Community Colleges of Spokane can expect open chairs in the majors they’re interested in, Bunch adds.

“Our colleges are constantly adapting to the needs of the regional workforce and helping to transform the lives of students by offering them pathways to in-demand professions,” he says.

At Gonzaga, data shows increased interest from students in computer science, physical education, sports management, and human physiology. Those majors had the highest average number of students added each year and the highest percentage increase over the past five years.

Paul De Palma, chair of computer science at Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, says in a release from the Jesuit school that interest in the major is widespread, and the school is adapting to that interest.

“The field is growing and changing daily,” De Palma says. “Our department is rising to the challenge with new specialties in (cybersecurity), data science, and software development.”

Patrick Crosswhite, chair of Gonzaga’s human physiology department in the School of Health Sciences, says Gonzaga is stepping up its commitment to accommodate the demand for students interested in the medical field.

“Basically, every sector of health or health care-related services is in demand nationwide,” Crosswhite says.

Gonzaga’s nursing program—like others in the Inland Northwest—is limited in the number of students it can accept based on the number of clinical training placements available in local clinics and hospitals.

“Fortunately, the expansion of Gonzaga’s School of Nursing and Human Physiology to a broader School of Health Sciences will help the university keep up with the demands in health care,” Crosswhite says.

The trends are similar at Eastern Washington University, says Dave Meany, the university’s media relations specialist.

“If we think about some of the programs at EWU with the fastest application growth, many match the national enrollment trends,” Meany says.

From 2021 to 2023, enrollment in EWU’s nursing programs grew by 28%. Meany says that growth is in part because the university created its own program designed specifically for the needs of Spokane and Eastern Washington, as the area demographics indicate an aging population, he says.

Meany says EWU recognizes the growing needs for personalized care and is addressing it academically. He adds that there also is growth in academic areas that people might not think of immediately. For example, exercise science grew 33% in the past three years as workforce demands attracted students interested in careers that assist an increasingly health-conscious population.

Meantime, political unrest globally, as well as what is seen by many as the polarization of U.S. politics, has had an impact on student studies at EWU, Meany says.

“Political science grew 56%, perhaps in response to the increased visibility of national political discourse but also in response to changes in global politics,” he says.

In other majors, EWU’s computer science programs grew 65% over a three-year period, in part, he says, because the university’s cybersecurity program attracted more students, many of whom might otherwise have attended institutions elsewhere.

At the University of Idaho-Coeur d’Alene, CEO Andrew Fields reports statistical trends similar to his neighboring institutions.

“The most popular academic programs at University of Idaho-Coeur d’Alene in recent years have been computer science and education,” Fields says.

“Though these programs make up the bulk of our student population, we also have an engaged and consistent student population in our English and general studies programs in Coeur d’Alene as well as in our professional development and community outreach programs,” he adds.

Fields echoes what other area college officials are saying about academic focus as it relates to job security.

“Popular majors often correlate with fields that have high job demand, and although it’s not a guaranteed connection, UI-Coeur d’Alene—particularly our computer science program—prioritizes real-world connections for our students and local or regional businesses,” he says.