University enrollment increases for the second consecutive semester at the University of Wisconsin
University of Wyoming Sees Enrollment Growth and Improved Retention Rates
The University of Wyoming (UW) has reported a year-over-year enrollment increase for the second consecutive semester, according to Shelley Dodd, interim vice provost for enrollment management. This positive trend is expected to continue, with a focus on both on-campus student recruitment and the growth of online programs.
The fall 2025 semester saw a 1.5% increase in the total enrollment of Wyoming residents, with a total of 7,948 students. This figure represents the second-largest incoming class of resident students in the past 17 years, with 927 first-time, first-year students, marking a 2.3% increase from the previous year. The number of first-time, first-year students at UW in fall 2025 is 1,444, a nearly 1% increase from the 1,434 in the same category in the previous year.
The improved numbers are attributed to a continuing rise in Wyoming resident enrollment. UW graduated over 2,800 students in the past year, which may also contribute to the growth in new student numbers.
While the number of graduate students at UW has remained relatively steady, going from 2,683 to 2,681, there has been a significant increase in the number of students pursuing degrees online. The number of UW students enrolled in online programs has increased by 8.5%, from 1,896 last fall to 2,058 this semester.
UW President Ed Seidel has stated that these increases, while not large, are welcomed and celebrated. He emphasized that the university has been working hard to improve its recruitment and retention of students, and these efforts are starting to show results.
The university's new residence halls and dining facility are helping in efforts to recruit on-campus students. UW's 15-day census, used to calculate official reported enrollment figures because it falls after the class drop/add deadlines and after the first tuition and fee payment is due, stands at 10,819 for fall 2025, an increase from 10,813 in the same period the previous year.
Laurie Nichols, who served as the 26th president of UW from May 16, 2016, to June 30, 2019, also reported on the increasing number of students. She noted that the retention rate of first-time, first-year students for the fall 2025 semester is 79.4%, an increase from 79% in the previous year and 76% in 2020.
These improvements in enrollment and retention rates are a positive sign for the University of Wyoming, indicating a successful direction for the institution in the coming years.
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