UW System reports final enrollment of staff on day 10

MADISON, Wisconsin – Enrollment in the University of Wisconsin’s system totaled 162,980 students as of fall 2021, down 1.1% from the previous year, according to data released today.

By comparison, national estimates show a 2.3% drop in enrollment for fall 2021, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

New first-year enrollments at UW system campuses also exceeded national averages. The number of freshmen enrolled in the UW system increased by 3.9 percent; the Research Center estimates that first-year registrations nationwide will drop 3.1%.

Looking at just four-year campuses, UW system freshman enrollments jumped 6% from the national decline of 3% at public four-year campuses.

“The pandemic has increased our enrollment challenges, but I am extremely happy with the increase in the number of freshmen,” said Tommy Thompson, president of the UW system. “We will continue to work hard to convince Wisconsin students that our public universities are the best investment they can make. We are also redoubling our efforts to ensure that returning students progress to a degree. The UW system is accessible and affordable and is the best investment students and our state can make. “

Thompson noted that much of the decline in enrollment is attributable to undergraduates who failed to continue enrollment after the COVID-19 pandemic affected campus operations in the 2020 academic year. -21.

Overall, the data shows 1,786 fewer students in the UW system in fall 2021 compared to fall 2020. About 41% is attributable to two-year offshore campuses. Nationally, community colleges fell 5.6%.

Undergraduate enrollment declined 1.6% overall, while graduate enrollment increased 1.8%.

The UW system enrollment numbers reported today represent the tally out of the 10^e class day, the standard report figure. UW System released estimates for Day 1 enrollment earlier this semester. The final number of registrations today is 0.4 percent lower than estimated. Only two universities, UW-Green Bay and UW Oshkosh, saw changes in estimates greater than 1 percent due to volatility in high school special students, also known as double enrollment.

The University of Wisconsin system serves approximately 165,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees per year, the UW system is Wisconsin’s talent pool, empowering graduates to increase their income, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Almost 90% of the state’s UW system graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after graduating – with a median salary of over $ 66,000. The UW system offers a return on investment of 23: 1. Universities in the UW system also contribute to the rich culture and economy of Wisconsin with ground-breaking research, new ventures and patents, and unlimited creative intellectual energy.