Wichita State's record-breaking enrollment driven by access and affordability

Combined enrollment by headcount across all Wichita State University locations for fall 2024 is 23,806, according to the annual data released today by the Kansas Board of Regents. This is the largest number of students ever choosing to enroll at Wichita State.

The main WSU campus achieved historic enrollment last year with 17,548 students and exceeded this year with 17,700 students.

At WSU Tech, student headcount increased from 5,655 last year to 6,106 this year — also the highest headcount ever for WSU Tech.

“This record-breaking enrollment is a testament to our steadfast dedication to student success and achievement,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “It is a direct result of our relentless focus on access and affordability and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. By aligning our resources and efforts, we are equipping students with the skills and opportunities they need to lead in their careers and drive progress across Kansas and on the global stage.”

Wichita State’s enrollment success continues to be driven by the Kansas Legislature’s recent invest of more than $6 million to Wichita State in need-based aid. The priority of need-based aid has allowed the university to expand Shocker Promise gap scholarships for all eligible Kansas students and families and provide retention and degree completion funding for Shockers with the greatest financial need. This additional financial commitment has been vital for students to pursue their dreams, grow their education, and ultimately achieve their career goals.

Wichita State enrollment highlights

Highest headcount in Wichita State’s history with 17,700 students
1,651 students entering college for the first time – the fourth highest in WSU’s history
7% increase in student credit hours for undergraduate degree-seeking students
4% increase in fall-to-fall persistence among undergraduate full-time freshmen for the last two years
New students from Shocker partnerships in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas are up by 7% — a direct result of WSU’s tuition discount program that offers in-state tuition to students in eight other states.
Continuing students from Sedgwick County are up 5.5%
2% increase in undergraduate degree-seeking students
Underrepresented minority students at the undergraduate level grew in the past year by 2.1%.
Continued growth in first-generation undergraduate freshmen, bringing the overall first-generation percent to 47.5%
18.2% of undergraduate students identify as Hispanic, a 1.3% increase, which once again qualifies Wichita State as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution.
18% increase in headcount in the 10 years since the launch of the Innovation Campus demonstrating Wichita State’s commitment to applied learning and growing the talent pipeline.
New, graduate students reflected an increase of 12.9%
New, degree-bound undergraduate students have increased for the fourth year in a row.
Transfer students have increased 2.2%, paving the way for Wichita State to be the No. 1 transfer destination in Kansas for the 13th year in a row.
By Kansas Board of Regents’ full-time equivalency (FTE), Wichita State measured at 11,530 FTE compared to 11,728 fall 2023, a 1.7% decrease. This difference between FTE and headcount is not abnormal for an urban research university, and many of WSU’s students choose to work while earning a degree.

WSU Tech enrollment highlights

WSU Tech’s fall 2024 enrollment is the highest total headcount and credit hours in the history of the college for any semester, with 6,106 students and 55,163 credit hours. Both high school and adult populations had their highest headcount, credit hours, and FTE for any semester in the history of the college.
This fall marks the first time WSU Tech's total headcount has exceeded 6,000 students, with high school enrollment surpassing 3,000 for the first fall semester ever.
In fall 2023, WSU Tech's full-time equivalent (FTE) was 3,225.27. For Fall 2024, WSU Tech reports an FTE of 3,677.53. This reflects a 14% increase in credit hours/FTE compared to the previous year.
WSU Tech was recently designated as a Hispanic-serving institution by the U.S. Department of Education. Hispanic and Latino students make up 25% of its total enrollment, marking the highest number of Hispanic and Latino students ever enrolled in a single semester in the college’s history.
First-generation students represent a significant portion of WSU Tech's adult population at 64%, showing a slight increase from the previous year's 63%.

“Our record-breaking enrollment this fall is a testament to the critical role WSU Tech plays in preparing a skilled workforce for our region,” said WSU Tech President Dr. Sheree Utash. “By offering high-demand programs aligned with industry needs, we are equipping students with the education and hands-on training necessary to succeed in today’s competitive job market. The growth in key sectors such as aviation, manufacturing, and healthcare highlights our strong partnerships with industry leaders to ensure our graduates are workforce-ready from day one. We remain committed to fostering opportunities for all students, especially first-generation and underserved populations, to build a brighter future through education and workforce development.”

Several key programs and initiatives contributed to the enrollment growth at both institutions.

Wichita State University program successes

Within the College of Applied Studies, the Organizational Leadership and Learning program saw a 26% enrollment growth. Additional program growth in the college includes graduates of Early Childhood Unified (14%), graduates of High Incidence Alternative Certification (9%), and undergraduates in the Teacher Apprentice Program (2.7%). The expansion across these three programs represents the College of Applied Studies’ dedication to tackling the teacher shortage and making a positive difference in PreK-12 education.
In the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, humanities experienced a 9.5% growth, with increased enrollment in English, Applied Linguistics, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, as well as Philosophy.
The W. Frank Barton School of Business experienced a 7.3% increase in overall enrollment. This growth is attributed to significant enrollment growth in accounting, economics, and management at the undergraduate level and economics and quantitative analysis at the graduate level.
Highlights for the College of Engineering include 5.8% growth in aerospace engineering, as well as 3.7% growth in mechanical engineering and doubled enrollment in cybersecurity.
In the College of Health Professions, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), physical therapy, audiology, communication sciences, and disorders programs contributed to a 5.6% growth.
The College of Fine Arts continues to grow, with a 4.8% increase in enrollment, including strong growth in studio art and digital arts.
Concurrent enrollment with high schools increased 271% in the past five years and 13.8% increase this year.

WSU Tech program successes

WSU Tech continues to see significant growth in the use of the Kansas Promise Scholarship, a financial aid program established by the Kansas Legislature. In the first three months of the 2024-2025 school year, 464 students have already been awarded over $2.2 million in scholarship funds. This reflects a 17% increase in students utilizing the scholarship compared to last fall and an 84% increase in students compared to the entire 2022-2023 fiscal year.
In partnership with Wichita Public Schools, WSU Tech's FutureReady Centers (FRC) have driven significant growth in high school enrollment, with 423 students enrolled as FRC students. The Manufacturing center has 158 students, an increase of 85.9% compared to last fall. The Healthcare center experienced growth with 265 students enrolled, an increase of 191.2%, highlighting the success of this collaboration in preparing students for high-demand careers.
WSU Tech has seen significant headcount growth across several key programs, including Welding (up 33.1%), Professional Pilot (up 129.6%), Culinary (up 40.8%), Aviation Maintenance (up 10.3%), and Climate and Energy Control (up 13.6%). This surge reflects the growing demand for skilled workforce training in these high-demand fields.
WSU Tech’s new programs have shown immediate impact, with Paraeducator enrolling 29 students and Mobile Equipment adding 23 students.

“Wichita State’s commitment to providing paid applied learning continues to grow with the recent support from the Kansas Legislature to expand on these experiences for our students,” said Dr. Shirley Lefever, WSU provost and executive vice president. “That investment and our continued development of new programs to meet student and industry needs are resulting in enrollment growth in nearly all colleges within the university. We remain dedicated to providing rich academic experiences for our students and growing the talent pipeline to spur our economy, thanks to the dedication of our faculty and staff.”

Read the Regents' full release

About Wichita State University

Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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