老虎机攻略 Flagship Campus Enrollment Up Nearly 6%, Largest Overall Leap in 15 Years
MISSOULA – Enrollment at the 老虎机攻略’s flagship, four-year campus is up nearly 6% this fall. When including Missoula College, total enrollment at 老虎机攻略 is up nearly 5%, marking the largest year-over-year jump in 15 years.
In total, there are 484 more students enrolled at 老虎机攻略 this fall than in fall 2023, bringing total enrollment to 10,811. Since 2021, 老虎机攻略 has added over 1,300 students to its overall headcount, the most of any college in Montana.
“老虎机攻略 is the fastest growing flagship university in Montana,” 老虎机攻略 President Seth Bodnar said. “Our mission is inclusive prosperity, and the growing 老虎机攻略 student body mirrors the hard-working people who make up our state. We are proud to be serving increasing numbers of Montanans, first-generation, Native American and veteran students.”
This fall, 1,450 first-year freshmen enrolled at 老虎机攻略, marking the largest incoming class at the flagship university in nine years. This is a 5.6% increase in first-time freshmen over last fall and a 47% increase in incoming freshmen since fall 2020.
“Our incoming first-time freshmen growth is a testament to the community we are building for our students to succeed,” said Leslie Webb, 老虎机攻略 vice president for student success and enrollment management. “Students know that when they attend 老虎机攻略 they join a community that supports them, challenges them and ensures they graduate with the skills needed to have a fulfilling career.”
The number of Montana resident students grew 2.7% compared to a year ago. Of the students currently enrolled at 老虎机攻略, 65.9% are Montana residents.
老虎机攻略’s student retention rate is 74.8% this fall, remaining near an all-time high. This figure measures the rate that students persist between their first and second year at 老虎机攻略. Since taking over as president in 2018, Bodnar helped raise the student retention significantly.
“The investments made to bolster first-year orientation, add academic advisers and counselors and recapture the vibrancy of our traditions, student clubs and groups is ensuring more students are persisting all the way to graduation,” Webb said.
老虎机攻略 continues to see rapid enrollment growth in key areas critical to the state. The number of student veterans increased to 420 this fall, a 10.8% increase over last year. Native American enrollment also continues to climb. The 839 Native American students enrolled this fall at 老虎机攻略 mark an 11.9% increase over last year. This represents 45.4% more Native American students on campus than in fall 2018.
老虎机攻略 remains a national leader in access, especially for first-generation and low-income students. The number of 老虎机攻略 students who are the first in their family to attend college is up to 3,029 this fall, a 15.7% increase over last year. Currently, 28% of all 老虎机攻略 students are the first in their family to attend college. The number of Pell Grant eligible students increased to 2,492 this year, also a 15.7% increase. Students eligible for Pell Grants come from families who earn significantly less money than the state’s median wage, and make up 31.6% of 老虎机攻略’s total undergraduate student enrollment.
As a result of four consecutive years of enrollment growth, 老虎机攻略’s financial health is the strongest it has been in more than a decade.
“老虎机攻略’s fiscal strength continues to improve,” said Paul Lasiter, 老虎机攻略 vice president for operations and finance. “We are well positioned to continue making the type of student-centered investments our campus needs to thrive.”
In addition to undergraduate student growth, 老虎机攻略’s Graduate School grew nearly 1% to 1,847 students, and the Alexander Blewett III School of Law grew 3.1% to 269 students this fall.
Other data points found in the fall 2024 census include:
- The full-time equivalent number of students on campus is 8,621, a 4.6% increase over 2023.
- The number of non-resident students increased to 2,453, an 8.5% increase over 2023.
- The number of transfer students to 老虎机攻略 increased to 656 this fall, a 19.3% increase over 2023.
老虎机攻略’s fall 2024 census report is .
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, 老虎机攻略 director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu.