WSU, KU, K-State celebrate growing enrollment

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The fall enrollment numbers are out for state universities, community colleges, and technical colleges in Kansas. As a whole, the number of students is up over last year.

Wichita State University says it has the highest enrollment in its 128-year history — 17,548 students. That is an increase of 3.7% over last year.

WSU credits a lot of its enrollment success to the Kansas Legislature, which recently invested more than $6 million in the university, allowing for more scholarships.

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The University of Kansas says it has its largest freshman class in its history and its highest overall enrollment in 13 years.

It brings KU’s overall enrollment to 29,355, the highest since 2010. It’s an increase of 6.2% over last year. This increase includes a 6.7% increase at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, which are counted together, and a 3.2% increase at KU Medical Center.

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Kansas State University says it has 19,745 students at K-State and K-State Veterinary Medicine. K-State’s enrollment grew by .1%, but K-State Veterinary Medicine enrollment decreased by .8% over last year.

However, K-State says its fall 2023 first-time freshman enrollment grew 9%, making the freshman cohort the largest class since strategic enrollment efforts began in 2019. The university also touted in-state enrollment being up 6.8%, out-of-state enrollment rising 15.1%, and transfer student enrollment increasing 2.8%.

Some other state universities saw a decrease in enrollment, including Emporia State University — down 12.5%; Fort Hays State University — down .8%; and Pittsburg State University — down 2.2%.

Fall preliminary enrollment

State Universities

20231 year
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changeEmporia State University4,658-12.5%-19.6%-22.8%Fort Hays State University12,843-.8%-17.3%-4.4%Kansas State University19,269.1%-11.4%-20.1%Kansas State University-Veterinary Medicine476-.8%2.8%2.4%Pittsburg State University5,732-2.2%-13.5%-22.5%University of Kansas25,4696.7%2.6%4.2%University of Kansas Medical Center3,8863.2%5.2%16%Wichita State University17,5483.7%11.2%20.6%Courtesy Kansas Board of Regents

Municipal University

20231 year
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changeWashburn University5,6633.7%-13.8%-18.8%Washburn Institute of Technology1,1873.5%-16.2%2.2%Courtesy Kansas Board of Regents

Community colleges

20231 year
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changeAllen Community College1,817-8.3%-28.5%-38.5%Barton Community College4,3932.9%-12.9%-29.7%Butler Community College6,574-2%-23.1%-29.8%Cloud County Community College1,6862.1%-8.3%-27.4%Coffeyville Community College1,428-3.1%-24.8%-22.7%Colby Community College1,375-.4%-2.8%4.9%Cowley Community College2,166-3.2%-18.9%-45.4%Dodge City Community College1,7372.4%12.6%-2.7%Fort Scott Community College1,464-2.3%-20.4%-24.2%Garden City Community College1,919.2%-.1%-3.9%Highland Community College2,182-6.7%-19.2%-28.2%Hutchinson Community College5,070.1%-9%-17.3%Independence Community College8211.5%-9.8%-20.4%Johnson County Community College17,1343.8%-6.7%-13%Kansas City Community College4,8072.8%-18.3%-26.9%Labette Community College1,4463.4%-29.9%-8.1%Neosho County Community College1,7919%-9.5%-32.9%Pratt Community College1,153-4.1%-6.6%-25.2%Seward County Community College1,7877.5%-4.4%-3.8%Courtesy Kansas Board of Regents

Technical Colleges

20231 year
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changeFlint Hills Technical College1,6391.8%15%97%Manhattan Area Technical College9584.5%23%16%North Central Kansas Technical College957-4.2%16.7%24.8%Northwest Kansas Technical College7258.9%-11.7%15.8%Salina Area Technical College1,00717.5%28%123.3%WSU Campus of Applied
Sciences and Technology5,65512.6%23%92.7%Courtesy Kansas Board of Regents

The Kansas Board of Regents says that, in all, there are 168,422 students enrolled in the state’s public higher education system. That is a 2% increase over last year.

“We are encouraged to see enrollment growth across our system this year,” KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders said in a news release. “With initiatives such as increased student financial aid, a common general education package, and growing opportunities for students to participate in applied learning and internships, our system has made important strides to increase affordability, access and success and begin to reverse a long trend of declining enrollment. We look forward to continuing this work and serving Kansas families and businesses.”