Enrollment increases across UNC system schools

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Enrollment across University of North Carolina System schools is up this school year. North Carolina Central University say the largest increases.

The UNC system reported enrollment this year was up 2.2% over the last year and 3.5% since 2022.

NCCU reported a 7.7% increase in enrollment between the Fall 2024 and Fall 2023 school year.

Fayetteville State University’s enrollment is up 3.8%.

Enrollment at N.C. A&T was also up 3.1%.

NC State’s enrollment increased 3.1% over that time period.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s enrollment increased 0.6%.

The UNC System reported campuses added more than 5,400 students this fall statewide. No schools within the system saw a reduction in enrollment.

The system says this growth comes after years of focused investment in low tuition, student support programs to encourage retention and graduation, and improvements to financial aid, transfer programs and online learning.

“We’ve worked hard to keep higher education affordable, to make sure students are graduating with great prospects and less debt,” said UNC System President Peter Hans in a release. “Our universities are focused on delivering a valuable education that’s truly accessible for the people of this state, and that message is getting across.”

David English, the UNC System’s senior vice president for academic affairs reported some of this year’s growth, resulted from re-enrolling students who had previously stopped out of UNC System schools without a degree. A focused effort to reconnect with those students and offer a pathway to graduation helped boost overall enrollment at several institutions, English said.

The UNC System also reported public Historically Black Universities have benefited from changes to policies that allow more out-of-state students at UNC campuses with strong demand and open capacity.

“Our public HBCUs are tremendous assets for North Carolina, and they’re bringing in talented students from across the country,” Hans said. “That’s great news for those schools and for the state’s economy.”

UNC also states the recent launch of a simpler, more generous scholarship is putting higher education within reach of more North Carolina families. The Next NC Scholarship helps North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by covering more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees at any public university. NC College Connect, a new pilot program, will simplify admissions at some universities and encourage more qualified high school graduates to pursue an affordable college degree.

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Judith Retana

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