Who's growing and who's shrinking? Enrollment numbers released for Utah institutions (2024)

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah System of Higher Education on Monday released annual data that shows which colleges and universities are gaining students and which ones are losing them.

The eight degree-granting institutions that make up USHE saw enrollment grow by 1.45%, combined. While the state is up in total undergraduate enrollment at USHE degree-granting institutions (1.60%), graduate enrollment saw a slight decrease over last year (negative 0.34%).

"Contrary to national trends, Utahns are continuing to see the value in higher education, and they are taking steps to enroll in college and better their future," Dave R. Woolstenhulme, commissioner of higher education, said in a statement. "Though we lost some momentum during the pandemic, I am optimistic that we will continue to see more students benefit from completing a certificate or degree at USHE colleges."

Here is a breakdown of how each of the eight institutions fared.

Weber State University

Weber State University grew from 29,744 students in 2021 to 29,914 students in 2022, the largest student body in WSU history and a 0.57% increase in total enrollment.

"It's exciting to see the number of students being served by Weber State continuing to grow," WSU president Brad Mortensen said in a statement. "It's a great opportunity for us to meet these students where they are and help guide them to find their passion and complete a meaningful degree at Weber State."

Weber State is a dual-mission university, meaning it offers certificates, two-year and four-year degrees, and also offers a growing number of graduate degrees.

Mortensen said this model has the potential to strengthen retention at WSU, as the number of students who finish their associate degree and continue to their bachelor's degree is much higher at dual-mission institutions.

He also said that the university wants to serve its community, including the growing number of Hispanic and Latino families in the area.

After an increase of 2.5% over last year's enrollment, WSU students who identify as Hispanic or Latino now make up 12.5% of the full-time equivalent undergraduate student body, inching the university closer to its goal of becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University welcomed 43,099 students for the fall semester — the most of any degree-granting institution in the Beehive State — showing a student population increase of 4.45% over last year.

"Utah Valley University provides accessible and equitable educational opportunities for every student who wants to receive a rewarding postsecondary education," said Astrid S. Tuminez, president of Utah Valley University, in a statement. "UVU's approach to education enables all students to come as they are. We are committed to small class sizes, low tuition, and learning experiences that prepare students to enter Utah's robust job market."

The majority of fall 2022 students are from Utah County, and UVU's nontraditional students — those 25 and older — remained consistent at 21.2%, according to a release from the university.

Additionally, 38% are first-generation students, meaning they are the first in their families to pursue a college education.

"UVU students are often balancing careers and family responsibilities; 28% of UVU students work more than 31 hours a week, 37% are married or in a partnership, and 14% support at least one child," Tuminez said. "Supporting their need for flexibility through the use of technology enhances student success."

Utah Tech University

The state's lone polytechnic institute went through a major change when it transitioned from Dixie State University to Utah Tech University.

One thing that didn't change, however, was its increasing enrollment, which did so for the seventh straight year.

Utah Tech's fall student population consists of 12,556 individuals, an increase of 2.36% from fall 2021.

"As our institution continues to expand its academic offerings, we are proud that more students than ever before have chosen to pursue their educational and professional aspirations at Utah Tech University," said Richard Williams, president of Utah Tech, in a statement. "Utah Tech remains committed to providing a comprehensive polytechnic education that prepares our students for a successful transition into the workforce after graduation."

Utah Tech University's increase in students has been accompanied by growth in academic programs, facilities and active learning opportunities. The institution has increased its academic offerings by 26 programs in the last academic year and grown the number of bachelor's degree programs by 133% since 2014.

To accommodate the growing student population, Utah Tech is in the process of adding two new buildings on campus. Campus View Suites III, which will be home to 563 students, is set to open in the fall of 2024 and will be the university's third on-campus facility in eight years.

The campus will also gain a general classroom building in the fall of 2025 that will be equipped with 45 classrooms, 105 faculty offices and 20 study rooms.

Utah State University

The Beehive State's agricultural university also enjoyed record enrollment this year, as first-year student enrollment at Utah State was up 13.3% over last year in Logan and up 14.1% overall across the university's statewide system.

Robert Wagner, executive vice president of USU, credits several factors for this year's increased enrollment numbers, including the Aggies First Scholars program, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, the draw of a residential campus experience and USU's alumni support, a press release from the university says.

Many of these programs specifically support those traditionally underserved in higher education, meeting the needs of changing demographics in Utah.

"USU has always excelled at offering access to a world-class education with innovative opportunities for undergraduate research, community-engaged learning, and real-world experience," Wagner said in a statement. "On top of all that, USU has an expansive alumni network of Aggies that allows our students to leverage prestigious internship opportunities, capitalize on advanced career placement and connect with fellow Aggies around the globe."

Katie Jo North, USU's executive director of new student enrollment, also points to the Utah State Promise, a need-based program that covers the remaining tuition and fees for students who are eligible for a federal Pell Grant. USU recruiters also resumed their full efforts over the last year, both in Utah and across the nation.

"The high school students we met last year were anxious for a real campus life, and Utah State offers a full residential experience," North said in a statement.

University of Utah

Utah's flagship institution continues to boom as the U. broke enrollment records for the third consecutive year.

The freshmen increase of 3% contributed to an overall 2% growth totaling 26,355 undergraduate students. Combined with 8,379 graduate students, overall enrollment increased by 0.8% to 34,734 students.

Records were also broken for the largest number of incoming freshmen of color at 1,655 students as well as the highest number of female-identifying freshmen at 2,779 students — two indicators of the U.'s "inclusive aspirations."

"Students across Utah and the rest of the country see the University of Utah as a destination and it is only natural then that we see record enrollment year after year," said Steve Robinson, senior associate vice president for enrollment management. "When students learn more about the U., why would they want to go anywhere else?"

U. president Taylor Randall said the fall enrollment data is very encouraging.

"Establishing a continued pattern of growth across all groups is the first step towards building a campus community that will transform lives. I want all our students to know that we are happy they chose the U. and that we are working daily to create an educational experience second to none where they will thrive and succeed," Randall said in a statement.

Southern Utah University

Southern Utah University saw the highest percentage-based increase of all degree-granting institutions in the state.

Spurred by an increase in online students, SUU experienced a 5.28% enrollment increase and now has 14,330 students (up from 13,611 students in the fall of 2021) in both on-campus and online programs.

"We are pleased that so many students are choosing SUU to continue their education," SUU president Mindy Benson said in a statement. "Taking into consideration the impact of on-campus growth on the Cedar City community, we made a concerted effort to increase our online degree enrollment and it paid off. Our robust online programs give greater access to students, especially non-traditional students looking to earn a college degree."

SUU has 2,437 online students, 17% of the university's total enrollment and also saw increased enrollment from international students (19.7%), graduate students (9.8%) and undergraduate students (4.7%).

Over the past decade, SUU has been one of the fastest-growing regional universities in the country, according to data released by the Chronicle of Higher Education. SUU also ranks second in the western United States for students graduating with the least amount of debt.

Brigham Young University

Though not a USHE institution, Brigham Young University had total enrollment numbers of 34,390, with 31,389 undergraduate students and 3,001 graduate students, marking a 1% decrease from the fall of 2021.

Todd Hollingshead, media relations manager for BYU, said that while the COVID-19 pandemic impacted enrollment numbers across the nation, it also impacted missionaries attempting to serve their missions.

"Because the pandemic caused some of those missions to be adjusted, some of those individuals had to come home or were adjusted in different ways ... Some of those individuals ended up returning to school during that COVID year and that impacted our enrollment in a positive way, meaning we had higher enrollment," Hollingshead said.

If a student is serving their mission, they are not counted in BYU's enrollment.

Now, a couple of years out from the height of COVID-19, those missionaries are able to serve their missions, leading to a slight decrease in enrollment.

"Since so many of our students are missionaries, that's always going to play a role a little bit in how our enrollment fluctuates, year to year," Hollingshead said.

Snow College and Salt Lake Community College

Both Snow College and Salt Lake Community College saw their enrollment numbers decrease.

Salt Lake Community College dropped from 27,225 students in 2021 to 26,348 students in 2022, a negative 3.22% change.

Meanwhile, Snow College dropped from 6,106 students in 2021 to 5,997 students in 2022, a negative 1.79% change.

All the numbers for the eight USHE degree-granting institutions can be found here.

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