UNC System campuses enrollment up 2.2%, defying national trend

(The Center Square) – Enrollment at North Carolina's public universities this fall increased by 2.2% over last year, defying a national trend of declining college enrollment, the state said Thursday.

Every University of North Carolina System campus gained in enrollment. Historically Black universities benefited from a new state policy to allow more out of state students. North Carolina Central University had a 7.7% increase.

“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. “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.”

Nationally, college enrollment numbers have dropped due to a declining birth rate, the state said.

“Across the United States, college enrollment peaked in 2010 and fell sharply during the pandemic,” a release says. “A smaller percentage of high school graduates is declaring higher education as their primary intent after graduation, and public confidence in higher education has declined in national surveys.”

Earlier this year, the Board of Governors voted to cut 14 majors at UNC Greensboro and four at UNC Asheville.

“This is a historical challenge for higher education,” UNC Asheville Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said. “Significant declines in the number of new high school graduates and growing skepticism over the value of a college degree are affecting nearly all colleges and universities.”

However, UNC Asheville had an increase of 3,055 students this fall, a 4.7% jump over fall 2023, the university system reported.

Some of this year’s growth resulted from reenrolling students who had previously left without earning a degree.

“A focused effort to reconnect with those students and offer a pathway to graduation helped boost overall enrollment at several institutions,” the system said.

The system also credited the Next NC Scholarship program which funds half to 100% of tuition and fees from students in households making $80,000 or less.

“And the system is launching NC College Connect, a pilot program that will simplify admissions at some universities and encourage more qualified high school graduates to pursue an affordable college degree,” the system said in a news release.