CSU campuses report increased total enrollment for 2023
Contact for reporters:
Tiana Kennedy
Associate Vice President, Communications, CSU and the CSU System
tiana.kennedy@colostate.edu
970-420-3316
Colorado State University in Fort Collins welcomed one of its largest classes ever this fall and also saw record enrollment of diverse students. At CSU Pueblo, increases in new freshmen and a big jump in graduate students drove an overall enrollment increase over Fall 2022.
CSU President Amy Parsons and CSU Pueblo President Timothy Mottet presented their preliminary enrollment updates for Fall 2023 at the CSU System Board of Governors meeting on Thursday. Both campuses saw increases in diverse and first generation students this fall, reflecting CSU’s long-standing commitment to making education affordable and accessible.
“Our System has a unique access mission – with a commitment to open the doors of a college education to students who traditionally have been underserved by higher education,” CSU System Chancellor Tony Frank said. “Our enrollment trends this year demonstrate the continued importance of that mission to Colorado.”
Fall 2023 enrollments reflect a continued emphasis on serving Colorado residents, first-generation students, and diverse students from all parts of the state. The CSU System has invested $11.2 million in the Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses over a three-year period (beginning in 2021) to support student success, close equity gaps, and increase retention and graduation rates. Additional funding targeted at supporting rural student enrollment should result in closer connectivity with rural school districts and students.
CSU Fort Collins
Entering Class
The CSU System’s flagship campus welcomed 5,299 new students this fall, the third largest incoming class in University history and 269 students shy of last year’s record-setting enrollment. (The 2018 class was the second largest.) The incoming class continues to be made up of 60 percent Colorado residents. CSU Fort Collins also saw a 33% rise in international students over last year, returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Highlights of the entering fall class:
- 30% racially or ethnically diverse
- 25% first-generation (defined as the first in their families to attend college or attend college in the US)
- 9% of the Colorado residents hail from a rural community
The average entering student’s academic profile remains strong, with an average high school GPA of 3.72. The class includes 10 Boettcher Scholars, a CSU record for a first-year class.
Total Enrollment
The CSU Fort Collins campus has a total student headcount this year of 33,648, up 193 (.05%) over Fall 2022. The total is boosted by the second largest number of undergraduates in the campus’ history (26,168), a record number of veterinary students (609), a record number of online students (4,563), and an increasing number of graduate students (6,775). Of these, 45% are men and 55% are women.
The greatest increases in enrollment overall were among racially minoritized students, non- resident students, and First Generation students. The total student body is 60% Colorado residents, 25% students of color, and 24% of undergraduates are first generation students. Among the academic colleges, the College of Business saw the largest increase, with a 4% increase in enrollment.
“We’re working to send a strong message to students across Colorado that CSU is a place where they’re welcome and where their futures can really take shape,” CSU President Amy Parsons said. “Our mission is to provide access to an excellent education, and that mission comes to life in every student who joins us this fall as part of the most diverse class in CSU history.”
CSU Pueblo
Entering Class
CSU Pueblo welcomed 982 new freshman and transfer students this fall, an undergraduate enrollment increase of 4%. The entering class was 35 students shy of Fall 2022 enrollment, given a slight decline in transfer students this year. Enrollment of first-generation students is up to 42.2% from 40.3% of last year’s entering class. The campus saw strong increases in graduate student enrollment, including a more than 90% bump in doctoral students thanks to a new Doctor of Education degree program launched in January 2023. The Masters of Education program also saw record enrollment this fall.
Total Enrollment
Total enrollment at CSU Pueblo increased to 3,657, a 3.6% increase over last year, and continued progress in the University’s goal of enrolling 4,000 students. The University’s freshman retention rate is up 2 percentage points from last year, as more students continued onto their sophomore year. A federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, the majority (54%) of CSU Pueblo students identify as belonging to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
CSU Pueblo President Timothy Mottet said: “Our campus community is honored to serve a diverse and enthusiastic student population. CSU Pueblo’s commitment to inclusivity means that any engaged student can be academically and socially successful as a member of our campus community. We are proud of the work our faculty and staff do to support learning, and we know all our graduates leave CSU Pueblo with a greater capacity for empathy and a willingness to learn.”
Final enrollment reports
The reports presented this week are preliminary. Final enrollment reports will be delivered to the Board of Governors at its December meeting. (Colorado State University Global, CSU’s fully online campus, follows a different academic schedule than the System’s two place-based campuses, so its enrollment data is not included here.)