AMES, Iowa — Another school year is underway at Iowa's three public universities, and the incoming freshman classes are already making waves.
The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa all released their enrollment totals for the 2024 fall semester on Thursday.
Here's how the numbers stack up.
Out of the three public universities, Iowa State saw the largest incoming freshman class this year with 5,906 first-year students. Nearly 21% of these freshmen are first-generation students, and nearly 23% are eligible for Pell grants.
As of this fall, Iowa State has 30,432 students on campus, an increase of 255 students from 2023.
- Undergraduate students: 25,628
- Graduate students: 4,170
- Veterinary medicine students: 634
Iowa State students come from all over, including all of Iowa's 99 counties, all 50 states and 116 countries.
Leaders at Iowa State credit growing interest in STEM degrees as one of the main reasons enrollment numbers are on the rise.
“Students recognize Iowa State University as a leader in innovation and for opportunities to take on leadership roles, conduct undergraduate research and gain hands-on experience in preparing for their future careers,” said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen.
The University of Iowa is welcoming it's third largest class of freshmen in university history with 5,208 first-year students.
The cohort is also one of the highest-achieving: the Class of 2028 has an average high school GPA of 3.83, matching a record set last year.
This year's first-year class represents 92 of Iowa's 99 counties, as well as 45 states and territories and 46 countries. Almost 20% of freshmen identify as first-generation students.
The University of Iowa currently has 30,779 students enrolled, as well as 1,420 postgraduate scholars.
- Undergraduate students: 22,738
- Graduate students: 6,164
- Professional students: 1,877
“The University of Iowa is excited to welcome a tremendous group of new students to campus this fall,” said Brent Gage, associate vice president for enrollment management. “After receiving a record number of applications, the enrollment management team partnered with faculty and staff from across campus to enroll this talented group of students. We are confident this class will thrive both in and out of the classroom as they become part of the Iowa campus community.”
Enrollment is up again at UNI, ringing in at 9,283 students. This year marks the first time UNI has registered an enrollment increase in consecutive years since 2009 and 2010.
UNI's current freshman class is made up of 1,546 first-year students, a 7.7% increase over 2022. More than a third of those freshmen are first-generation college students.
In total, 90% of UNI's student population hails from Iowa, representing all 99 of Iowa's counties. The other 10% of students represent 41 U.S. states and 46 countries from around the world.
The Panthers have also made big strides in graduate student enrollment. 1,567 graduate students are currently enrolled at UNI, a 22.5% increase from last school year and the highest graduate population since 2018.
School officials at UNI believe new programs, including nursing and applied engineering, have significantly contributed to the enrollment increase.
“Our faculty and staff are implementing innovative ideas that are improving the quality of our student experience. Whether it’s offering new academic programs, delivering unique hands-on learning opportunities or serving the best farm-fresh campus food in Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa continues evolving to meet the needs of our students, as well as Iowa’s economy and the workforce in our state," said UNI President Mark Nook.