SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — According to numbers released by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2022 fall freshman enrollment has increased 5% compared to last year's fall semester.
Illinois schools beat the national trend which showed a 2.4% decrease in freshman enrollment at public universities. Nine out of the 12 public universities in the state reported an increase in freshman enrollment.
“Here in Illinois, our universities are bouncing back—bucking national trends and exemplifying excellence at every turn,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “While other states battle dwindling enrollment numbers, our public universities are seeing extraordinary growth—largely driven by Black and Latino incoming freshmen. This just goes to show that when you invest in the young people of our state, the returns are exponential.”
Illinois also outpaced national enrollment growth rate of African American and Latino freshmen. Enrollment of Latino freshmen in Illinois increased by 12.9%, compared to a decrease of 0.7% at the national level. National data show that enrollment of African American freshmen decreased by 4.3%, in Illinois, enrollment of African American freshmen increased by 10.5%.
“We are encouraged by the increases in freshmen enrollment of African American and Latino students and will work hard to ensure this positive trajectory continues,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “We continue to work with the state’s public universities to ensure we are supporting and equitably serving students, especially those from underserved backgrounds, so they obtain their degrees, flourish in our state’s workforce and help our communities to thrive.”
The report, IBHE First Look – Fall Enrollment 2022-23 – Illinois Public Universities, is available online and can be accessed here.
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