SW New Mexico News

Unofficial enrollment numbers for the New Mexico State University (NMSU) system indicate a more than 4% increase systemwide over last fall. This continues a three-year upward trend fueled by Lottery and Opportunity scholarships and significant growth from NMSU Global.

While the data is still being finalized, preliminary figures from the university’s fall census date of September 6 show a systemwide headcount for fall 2024 of 22,751 – a 4.2% rise over fall 2023.

Including NMSU Global, the fully online campus, the unduplicated headcount for NMSU’s Las Cruces campus comprises 15,417 undergraduate and graduate students, reflecting a 4.2% increase over fall 2023. Undergraduate continuing student enrollment rose by another 3.6% this fall to reach 8,196 students. First-time freshman enrollment remained steady with more than 2,400 new students in this year’s cohort.

Renay Scott, vice president of Student Success, attributed this growth to support programs like the Aggie Launch Pad and NMSU’s Student Success Center. The Aggie Launch Pad provides students with laptops and digital literacy training while the Student Success Center offers tutoring, mentoring services, financial literacy programming, career development assistance, graduate school planning, and support for first-generation college students.

“While we are excited to have students join us for the first time each fall,” Scott said. “We remain committed to help all students be successful by providing the support and experience they need until they reach the finish line of earning their degree.”

NMSU Global now enrolls more than 2,800 students – a notable increase of 36.6% over last year.

“This year,” said Sherry Kollmann, Chancellor for NMSU Global. “NMSU Global attained nearly 37% year-over-year growth in enrollment which demonstrates our commitment to providing quality online education to our professional working adults.” She added that Forbes Advisor recently ranked NMSU Global as the No.1 online college in New Mexico.

Graduate enrollment also saw an uptick of 8.6%, reaching a total of 2,902 students after several years of steady numbers. Ranjit Koodali, dean of the Graduate School at NMSU attributed this rise to strategic investments and partnerships across campus units targeting specific countries along with new graduate degree programs.

“The increase in enrollment is also a testimony to the availability of high-quality graduate programs,” Koodali stated. He noted that these opportunities allow pursuing cutting-edge research under expert faculty supervision.

This semester marks the introduction of several new programs including a doctorate in transborder and global human dynamics among others at NMSU’s Graduate School. Additionally approved by NMSU's Board of Regents are four new future graduate programs: a Ph.D. in applied and agricultural biology; Master of Arts in borderlands and ethnic studies; fully online Master of Engineering degrees in engineering management; and systems engineering.

Community colleges within the NMSU system also experienced overall growth this fall with an increase of 3.8%, totaling an enrollment figure at these campuses combined reaching up to approximately over nine thousand individuals enrolled collectively - specifically broken down further into: Alamogordo at one thousand plus enrollees up almost six percent versus previous year's figures whereas Grants showed slight decline dipping below eight hundred currently registered learners however Doña Ana Community College holds largest share having enrolled well above seven thousand marking significant five point two percentage points jump compared prior term period respectively speaking

Finalized verified data on Fall enrollments will be accessible online via oia.nmsu.edu once available.