| The UNC System’s low tuition and liberalized admissions policies are sparking record enrollment across the state, with a combined gain of 8,511 students, or 3.4%, compared with the previous year.
The one-year gain reported Wednesday is more than the enrollment at seven of the system’s 16 campuses. It follows an increase of 2.2% a year ago, which reversed two previous years of decline. Overall, the system reported enrollment of 256,438 students, with three Historically Black universities showing the sharpest gainss. Fayetteville State increased 7.3% to 7,623 students, N.C. Central added 6.8%, to 9,160, and N.C. A&T State increased 6.7%, to 15,275. The system’s three largest campuses also showed significant gains. NC State had 2.1% growth, to 39,259 students; UNC Chapel Hill increased 5.1% to 34,099) and UNC Charlotte gained 3.6%, to 32,207). UNC Asheville reported a 6% drop in enrollment, to 2,874 students, which system officials are attributing mostly to the fallout of Hurricane Helene. The campus was closed for 33 days during a peak recruitment period. The system has kept in-state undergraduate tuition for nine straight years, aided by increased investment from state funds. Acceptance rates at some UNC campuses have expanded significantly in recent years. Also, system leaders are enabling 10 campuses “with strong demand and open capacity” to exceed the state’s traditional 18% cap on out-of-state enrollment. N.C. Central and A&T can enroll up to 35% of their students from out of state, and Fayetteville State can enroll as many as 25%. The 18% limit remains in place for UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Charlotte, Appalachian State and UNC Wilmington. Aside from UNC Asheville, the slowest-growing campus was East Carolina, which enrolled 27,153 students, 0.8% more than last year. |
