UTEP Sees Record Enrollment of First-Time Students for Third Year
• Total enrollment crosses 25,000 mark
• Engineering surpasses 5,000 students
• Doctoral enrollment reaches all-time high
EL PASO, Texas (Sept. 12, 2024) – More than 25,000 students are attending UTEP this fall, including 3,918 new freshmen, a new record.
This is the third year in a row UTEP has set a record for new freshmen, or first-time-in-college students, with a jump of more than 2% over the number in last year’s cohort.
“UTEP offers a great education at a price families can afford,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “Hard work and a degree from UTEP open the door to all kinds of opportunities.”
With an official count of 25,039 students, UTEP has crossed the 25,000 mark for the first time since the global pandemic. The last time UTEP crossed that milestone was in Fall 2019 with an enrollment of 25,177.
The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é has also seen a boost in persistence – the percentage of students who continue their studies from one semester to the next. Undergraduate spring-to-fall persistence is up 1.4% from last year, reaching 85.7%. This figure is an all-time high for the institution.
“The increase in persistence rates is a clear indicator that our students are receiving the support they need to remain on track and complete their degrees,” said Amanda Vasquez-Vicario, Ph.D., vice president for enrollment management. “We’re proud of the hard work our students, staff, and faculty members have committed to achieve this result.”
UTEP’s growth has been fueled in part by the rising enrollment in the College of Engineering, which, at 5,064 students, has surpassed the 5,000 mark for the first time. This marks an increase of more than 8% from last year and 13.5% compared to five years ago.
“Engineering growth is a testament to the quality of education we provide and the demand for STEM professionals in our region,” said Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering. “This enrollment milestone reflects our commitment to shaping the next generation of engineers and innovators who will drive progress and solve complex challenges both locally and globally."
UTEP’s graduate programs are also thriving, with doctoral enrollment reaching a historic high of 918 students. The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é has seen nearly a 17% increase in new master’s students compared to Fall 2023, with overall master’s enrollment up by 5.5%. This growth reflects UTEP’s expanding influence in advanced education and research.
About The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso
The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 170 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
Last Updated on September 12, 2024 at 12:00 AM | Originally published September 12, 2024
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
