UW enrollment up at most campuses

(The Center Square) – There are more students on more than half of the University of Wisconsin’s campuses this fall.

“Today’s enrollment growth marks our second year of increases in the face of significant headwinds,” UW president Jay Rothman said in a statement.

Overall, the UW says there are 163,589 students on campus this fall. That’s about 1,000 more than last fall. That’s a systemwide number. The increases at the campus level are often just a handful of students,

At UW-Eau Claire, for example, the university says fall 2024 enrollment is 9,969. That’s 20 more students than last fall.

UW-La Crosse saw enrollment jump by 136 students, up to 10,438.

UW Madison continues to be the university’s biggest campus, with 51,729 students this fall. Last fall that number was 50,662.

The university says eight campuses, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, River Falls, Stevens Point, Superior and Whitewater, all saw enrollment increases this year.

The other five were all either flat or saw enrollments decline.

Rothman said the enrollment jump is a bit more impressive given the problems for students who need federal student aid.

“The fact that overall enrollment is up at the UWs despite the federal FAFSA fiasco is proof positive that Wisconsinites know that education unlocks opportunities,” Rothman said. “We simply didn’t see the typical late surge of enrollments that we would have in normal years and that comes down to FAFSA completion and uncertainty over financial aid awards – something that could have been helped with a tuition promise for the fall 2024 cohort."

The Tuition Promise program is one of the reasons why Rothman continues to say the UW needs hundreds of millions more dollars.

He made that plea again with the enrollment numbers.

“The $855 million 2025-27 state budget request approved by the Board of Regents includes funding for an expanded tuition promise for fall 2025 and would provide the resources to preserve access at existing branch campuses. Should the budget be approved, he also would not recommend a tuition increase for the 2025-26 or 2026-27 academic years,” the university added in its enrollment report.

Monday’s numbers are preliminary, the final enrollment numbers for the UW System will be released later this fall and based on the final 10th day of class figures.