Enrollment across the University of Illinois System reached a record high this fall of more than 94,800 students, driven by managed growth after five years of robust expansion, President Tim Killeen announced today.
This fall’s enrollment across the three-university system reached 94,861, an increase of 111 students – .1 percent – from last fall’s 94,750.
U of I System leadership planned to grow at a more moderate pace this year after seeing enrollment gains of 16 percent over the five previous academic years, all part of a goal set by Killeen and the Board of Trustees in 2017 under the system’s Strategic Framework. Enrollment growth surpassed the initial target of about 93,600 students by the fall of 2021.
Numbers are based on enrollment on the 10th day of classes at the system’s universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. Ten-day figures are the traditional benchmark for reporting enrollment among U.S. colleges and universities.
Killeen praised admissions staff across the system for managing enrollment this fall to ensure that faculty-to-student ratios and infrastructure both remain strong and well-suited to continued excellence. He also noted that, with almost 95,000 students, the U of I System remains firmly committed to accessibility for the state’s students.
“I am proud that we succeeded in not only reaching but exceeding our five-year goals for enrollment growth, part of our commitment to providing students across the state with access to the world-class education available at our three universities,” Killeen said. “Our core mission remains the same today as it was when we were founded: To serve the people of Illinois by opening doors to opportunities that will help students, their families and the communities where they live.”
Increased state investment this year in the form of $655.2 million in operating funds, a 5 percent increase, will help ensure that the university is well-prepared to educate the growing numbers of students, Killeen added, noting that this year’s increased support for public higher education is a product of a strong partnership with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the members of the General Assembly.
Graduate and professional enrollment across the system grew 1 percent to 35,541 students from last fall’s 35,189. Undergraduate enrollment declined slightly, from last fall’s record 59,561 students to 59,320, a drop of .4 percent but nonetheless the second-highest total ever.
In-state undergraduate enrollment, a priority for the U of I System, remains strong at 46,815 students – 79 percent of all system undergraduates. The system has made in-state recruiting a priority, seeking to reduce out-migration of Illinois students to colleges in other states. Research indicates that college graduates tend to stay in the states where they studied, so out-migration is a loss for Illinois and its economy.
Breakdowns for each university can be found in news releases planned for later today from Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield.
