MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University has seen an increase in student enrollment, an achievement that is in line with the land-grant universities Next-Gen strategic plan. The 2024 fall semester resulted in a 2.8% enrollment increase from previous years.
In its second year of enrollment increases, the university has a total of 20,295 students this semester. As part of the Next-Gen strategic plan, K-State has goals of continued increases in student numbers.
Jesse Perez Mendez, provost and executive vice president at K-State, said, “I think as far as achieving 30,000 learners by 2030 and making sure that everyone feels that they belong on this campus and are a part of the K-State family, that’s what we’re aiming for every day.”
This growth in numbers is largely due to a 9.4% increase in first-year freshman. The 2024 fall semester included a first-year class of 3,943 students, the biggest the university has seen since 2018. First generation enrollment saw a 13% increase with Pell-eligible first-years increasing by 27.8%. Additionally, the number of students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups grew by 16%.
This year the university saw its largest out of state freshman class with a 14% increase. K-State now has students from 43 of the country’s states and territories and 95 of the 105 Kansas counties. Out of state transfers also saw an increase of 7.5% with students coming from nearly 400 different institutions.
“We attract students from all walks of life here at our university,” Mendez said. “We all have different learning styles, we all come from different backgrounds, and if we can connect with as many students on as many levels as possible, I think that’s what we’re all about.”
The university has been implementing efforts to establish momentum for their strategic plan as a next generation land grant university. K-State offers over $92 million in scholarships and awards, helping students with affordability and access. This commitment to access is an essential part of the next-gen plan. The K-State Land Grant Promise allows full-time, Pell-eligible undergraduates with a total household income of $70,000 or less to receive a grant and/or scholarship package. This package can be equal to 15 credit hours of tuition per semester.
“I think [the increased enrollment] shows us how our accessibility has evolved over time and that more and more students are getting the opportunity to go to higher education, and also that we are a premier university in the state of Kansas, possibly top tier,” student senator Andrew Le said.
K-State has graduation statistics that are considerably higher than national averages. The university retains 85.5% of first-time freshmen, graduating 53.9% of their students within four years and 71.8% in six years. After graduation, 96% of graduates report employment, graduate school or professional school within six months.
Kansas State University administration and faculty hope to continue making improvements and fulfilling their commitment to the K-State community and beyond. First Lady Sally Linton said, “I think we are now starting to see the change and that’s awesome. You can see it on campus, you can see it in the buildings, you can see it in the excitement of the students and the faculty, and we’re just moving forward.”
Comments