An elite collegian institution in its early life, the college faced declining enrollment by the 1980s.

It chose to begin recruiting local underprivileged students, and became predominantly black and Hispanic.

[3] After its founding in 1897 as the nation's first Catholic liberal arts college for women by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Trinity educated middle-class Catholic women, who were underrepresented in America's colleges, for more than 70 years.

[5] Trinity has an annual enrollment of more than 1,800 students in the university's five schools, which offer undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Trinity offers professional programs at a satellite classroom located at THEARC, a multipurpose community facility in Southeast Washington — the only private university to offer college degree programs in the District of Columbia's underserved neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.

In 2024, U S News & World Report ranked Trinity #133-#175 out of 181 Regional Universities North.

[8] For 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Trinity had a 97% acceptance rate with 35% of students graduating, 33% transferring, 30% withdrawing, and 2% still enrolled.

Trinity Washington competes in five intercollegiate varsity sports: basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

It features a basketball arena; walking track; swimming pool; spa; fitness center with weight machines, free weights and cardio equipment and dance studio; tennis courts; and an athletic field.