As the new academic year unfolds, multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities are experiencing remarkable enrollment increases. Here’s a look at the schools with enrollment growth for Fall 2024.
Shaw University
Leading the way is Shaw University, which has reported an impressive 36% rise in new student enrollment. This marks the university’s largest freshman class since the onset of the pandemic. Alongside this surge in new students, enrollment in adult degree programs is also rising at Shaw.
Hampton University
Hampton University is close behind, reporting a 34% increase in new student enrollment over the past two years. A total of 1,292 students were set to join the freshman class, representing a record commitment rate from incoming students.
Benedict College
Benedict College is also enjoying significant growth, with an 18.4% increase in new student enrollment for Fall 2024. The college welcomed 554 new students, including 419 first-time freshmen—a robust 31.4% increase from 338 last year.
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University has reported a remarkable 23% increase in the number of first-time freshmen. The freshman class has surged to 427 students, up from 347 in Fall 2023, making it the largest since 2012. ECSU’s efforts to engage and attract new students appear to be paying off.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff announced a 7% increase in overall new student enrollment. Notably, there was a 39% surge in transfer students for the fall 2024 semester.
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University has seen a 7.71% increase in total enrollment, welcoming 8,579 students this year. The freshman class alone is historic, including 1,753 first-time students—the largest in the university’s 114-year history. Additionally, NCCU saw a 24% increase in online education enrollment.
Langston University
Langston University’s full-time enrollment increased by about 2.8% compared to the previous academic year. The growth was particularly notable among freshman and graduate students.
Grambling State University
GSU continues its positive trend, with total enrollment reaching 5,150 students for Fall 2024. This represents a gradual increase from previous years and includes a notable rise in first-time, full-time freshmen, who now stand at 1,013.
Edward Waters University
EWU has seen a notable increase, reporting 1,177 enrolled students this semester. This reflects the university’s second-highest enrollment in two decades and its fourth consecutive year of record-breaking growth.
Johnson C. Smith University
Notably, JCSU experienced its largest incoming class since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
