University reports 727 student increase in undergraduate enrollment for 2024

Maryland's higher education landscape is witnessing notable shifts, as revealed in the recent EED Committee Session held on February 26, 2025. The meeting highlighted a significant increase in total undergraduate enrollment, which rose by 727 students from fall 2023 to fall 2024. This growth marks a positive trend, particularly among first-time full-time students, who experienced a 4.2% increase for the second consecutive year.

The session also addressed the dynamics of undergraduate applications, which surged to over 23,366 in fiscal 2024. However, the yield rate—indicating the percentage of accepted students who actually enrolled—stood at 12.4%, the second lowest recorded since 2015. Meanwhile, the acceptance rate of 82% was noted as the fourth highest in the same timeframe.

In terms of enrollment demographics, in-state students increased by 349, while the out-of-state student population grew by 373, now constituting 41% of total undergraduate enrollment. Conversely, the international student body has seen a decline from a peak of 780 students in 2017 to just 166 in 2024, although it has shown signs of recovery over the past two years.

The meeting also shed light on student performance metrics. The second-year retention rate for first-time full-time students has seen a decline, dropping to 65.6% for the 2022 cohort, a trend attributed to the impacts of the pandemic. Additionally, graduation rates are concerning, with the four-year graduation rate falling to 17.8% for the 2019 cohort and the six-year rate decreasing to 41.7% for the 2017 cohort.

These discussions underscore the ongoing challenges and opportunities within Maryland's higher education system, highlighting the need for continued focus on student retention and graduation outcomes as the state navigates its educational future.