North Dakota college enrollment up, including more Minnesotans despite free tuition program
After years of declining enrollment on some state campuses, the number of students attending North Dakota colleges and universities shot up more than three percent this fall. The Grand Forks Herald indicates the startling turnaround was reported by the North Dakota Board of Higher Education on all eleven campuses of the state’s college and university system.
Jennifer Weber, chief data analyst for the North Dakota University System, said almost every institution is seeing increases in almost every demographic.
She reported a total headcount of 45,806 college and university students statewide, up 1,579 students from last year, or a 3.6% increase.
Meanwhile, full-time equivalent students were up 4.1% and scheduled credit hours up 4.2%, which Weber said are indications that students are also taking more courses.
“The primary driver of this seems to be an increase in the number of undergraduates that we’re seeing. New freshmen (are) up 10% here. That’s great news,” Weber told the board.
Enrollment at the University of North Dakota hit the third-highest total in school history on the strength of a 24 percent increase in freshmen students. Officials also touted the fact that enrollment at North Dakota State University held steady for the first time since 2014. Administrators credit the improved numbers to higher quality programs more in line with the marketplace.
NDSU recently launched new online programs including electrical engineering, computer engineering, software engineering, cybersecurity, information technology, business administration and data science.
Seinquis Leinen, senior director of strategic enrollment management, also gave credit to a new advising model, more scholarship offerings and new state-of-the-art facilities such as the Peltier Complex, along with the Challey School of Music addition and Richard Offerdahl ’65 Engineering Complex down the road.
This fall North Dakota higher education officials also faced a potentially devastating threat to enrollment by Minnesotans, generally about 1,400 students, due to the state’s new tuition–free program for some families. Surprisingly, the number of Minnesotans on North Dakota campuses this fall actually increased by ten percent, thanks to a concerted effort outlined by the North Dakota Monitor.
Chancellor Mark Hagerott said each campus had an enrollment strategy in response to the North Star Promise, which offers free college tuition to Minnesota families who make $80,000 or less.
At North Dakota State University, for example, “generous alumni” helped the college offer a similar free tuition program, Hagerott said. NDSU enrollment stayed identical to last year at 11,952 students, though its full-time equivalent enrollment dropped 1%.
The North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, which reported an enrollment increase of 7%, worked to better promote existing scholarships and tuition assistance programs available to Minnesota students, President Rod Flanigan said.
At the same time, some Minnesota colleges and universities also appear to be experiencing an increase in student enrollment this fall. Only time will tell whether it turns out to be a trend or a temporary blip on college campuses.