Many of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities had a record number of applicants this past admissions cycle. And many HBCUs have reported a significant increase in enrollments this fall.
Undoubtedly, the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2023 to outlaw race-sensitive admissions at colleges and universities played a major role in producing large numbers of Black applicants for places at HBCUs. Recent multi-million dollar gifts to some HBCUs have strengthened their academic programs, which also may have played a role in producing more interest in attending HBCUs among Black students. Finally, campus unrest at large numbers of high-ranking, predominantly White colleges and universities last spring may have led the nation’s most academically talented Black students to look elsewhere for their higher education.
Here is a summary of enrollment trends at some of the nation’s HBCUs.
For the second year in a row, Alabama A&M University has shattered its first-time student enrollment record. Over 2,000 first-time students enrolled this fall. Last year, AAMU reported an enrollment of 6,633 students – the largest in its history. This fall, an estimated 7,000 students have enrolled.
Alabama State University reported that first-time, new student enrollment — which includes freshmen, transfers, and first-year graduate students — rose by 12.5 percent compared to Fall 2023. Overall enrollment, including incoming freshmen, returning students, and graduate students, increased by 5.27 percent.
Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, has announced significant growth in new student enrollment for the Fall 2024 academic semester, marking the highest new student enrollment since the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 554 new students have enrolled at Benedict College, an increase of 18.4 percent from the previous year. This year’s incoming class includes 419 first-time, first-year students, a 31.4 percent increase from 338 in Fall 2023.
Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, has announced one of its largest enrollments yet for the Fall 2024 academic year, with 3,123 students. This marks a 24.13 percent increase from the Fall 2023 enrollment of 2,516 students. The university experienced a surge in freshman enrollment, with 1,150 new students joining the university community, representing 36.82 percent of the total student body.
Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida, reported a total enrollment of 1,177 students, extending its streak of record-breaking enrollment to four consecutive years. This figure approaches the 1,200-student milestone, a target the institution has been eyeing.
Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina has announced a substantial increase in enrollment for the fifth straight year. This year, the university boasts a record-breaking freshman class and a notable rise in transfer students. The university’s total enrollment is 2,261, a 4.4 percent increase compared to Fall 2023.
Fayetteville State University in North Carolina has record enrollments of 7,101 students, marking the third consecutive year of record-setting enrollment representing a 12 percent increase since fall 2018. There are nearly 800 first-time freshmen and more than 1,000 transfer students.
Grambling State University in Louisiana has experienced a steady increase in Fall 2024 total enrollment, reaching 5,150 students, continuing the university’s upward growth trend. This represents an improvement from Fall 2023, when enrollment stood at 5,114, and Fall 2022 when the total was 5,070. Of particular note is the impressive growth in the number of first-time, full-time freshmen, which surged to 1,013 students this semester, up from 914 in Fall 2023 and 819 in Fall 2022.
Hampton University in Virginia received over 17,000 applications for the 2024-25 academic year, a substantial increase from the 13,000-plus applications submitted the previous year. The university’s undergraduate population is about 3,600. The overall student population is nearing 4,000 this year.
At Howard University in Washington, D.C., first-year enrollment increased from 2,268 in 2023 to 2,796 this year. The university had more than 36,000 applicants.
North Carolina Central University has 1,918 first-year students in the Class of 2028 this fall, plus 296 transfer students and 18 second-degree students. The incoming class is the largest the university has seen in 15 years.
Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, has 36 percent increase in new student enrollment. The university has welcomed its largest freshman class since the pandemic.
Spelman College in Atlanta welcomed 700 new students to campus this fall. The college received more than 12,000 applications from prospective students. The acceptance rate was 24 percent compared to 51 percent in 2021.
