UL Lafayette released its Fall 2024 enrollment data on Friday.
UL Lafayette’s overall enrollment for the Fall 2024 semester is 19,213; 15,665 students – 13,432 undergraduates and 2,233 graduate students – are degree-seeking, a 2% increase over last year. The total also includes 3,548 non-credit-bearing students who take training courses, pursue certifications and enroll in Professional and Continuing Education classes.
The growth in degree-seeking enrollment isn’t the only good news the annual census revealed, said Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management.
“We continue to show strength in both undergraduate and graduate enrollment. Students at every level want exceptional academics, a supportive teaching, learning and living environment, and top-tier research opportunities – and that’s what they receive here,” Bowie said.
Undergraduate enrollment increased by nearly 2%, while graduate enrollment was up 3.1%.
Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the Graduate School, noted that the uptick in overall graduate enrollment includes a 23% increase – from 497 to 611 – in the number of entering students over last fall and a record 120 entering doctoral students.
“We are welcoming more master’s and doctoral students this year, and that’s a testament to the strength and reputation of our degree programs and the faculty whose expertise is shaping the next generation of scholars," Farmer-Kaiser said.
"The University again welcomed an impressive, record-setting first-time freshman class. A total of 3,064 first-time freshmen are enrolled – tied for the second largest freshman class since the University began selective admissions in 2005. Members of the Class of 2028 come from 441 high schools and are an academically accomplished group; they have an average high school cumulative GPA of 3.4 and an average ACT composite score of 24.8 for those admitted using ACT or SAT scores," a release states.
“We saw a 47% increase in the number of first-time freshmen with an ACT composite score of 32 or higher over last fall, as well as a 21% increase in the number of high school valedictorians who chose to attend the University,” Bowie said. “This group of freshmen stand out academically and are very well prepared to tackle the rigor of University life.”
Thirty-two percent of first-time freshmen are STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – majors; 17% are enrolled in humanities disciplines; 16% in nursing and health sciences; 14% in business; 12% in education; and 9% in the arts.
Among first-time freshmen, 39% are first-generation students, those whose parents have not earned a college degree. That total is a 7% increase over last fall.
“The University has a strong – and growing – reputation for its efforts in providing access to first-gen college students. Here, they find a welcoming and supportive environment that prioritizes their success,” Bowie said.
Louisiana’s public colleges and universities take a census of full-time and part-time students on the 14th day of classes each fall semester. The totals are reported to the Louisiana Board of Regents and, in the case of UL Lafayette, to the University of Louisiana System, as well.
The yearly census provides a snapshot of the University community beyond enrollment totals. For example, the Fall 2024 census shows that among degree-seeking students, 58% are female. Nearly 38% are from underrepresented backgrounds; 25% are Black students. Twenty-seven percent of the entire student body is new to UL Lafayette this fall. And, overall, students hail from 63 Louisiana parishes; 46 states, U.S. possessions and the District of Columbia; and 79 international countries.
