Inside Iowa State

September 9, 2005

Fall enrollment is 25,741

by Annette Hacker

Student enrollment at Iowa State is 25,741, a decrease of less than 2.5 percent (639 students) compared to fall 2004.

Iowa State's total fall enrollment variances of the past couple of years are not unusual from a historical perspective, said Kathy Jones, assistant vice president for enrollment and registrar.

Enrollment at Iowa State over the past 30 years hasn't changed by more than 4.5 percent in any given year. Of the last 30 years, there have been enrollment increases in 18 of those years; decreases in 12, including this fall.

"This fall's enrollment is about what we projected -- excellent news given that the last three years have set records in the number of Iowa State degrees awarded," Jones said. "We are graduating larger numbers of students than ever before, and more are completing their degrees within four years."

Iowa State awarded 5,876 degrees during the 2004-05 academic year.

The numbers

Iowa State welcomed 5,424 new undergraduates this fall, an increase of 45 from fall 2004. Overall undergraduate enrollment is 20,732, down 622 from fall 2004.

New freshman enrollment is 3,769, up from 3,729 in fall 2004. Of those new freshmen, 358 are minority students, a 3.5 percent increase from last year and the fourth-highest on record.

Professional student (veterinary medicine) enrollment increased by 23, from 408 in fall 2004 to 431 this fall. Graduate student enrollment decreased by 40, from 4,618 in fall 2004 to 4,578 this fall.

As many as 50 students who have been called to active military duty over the past year have not yet reenrolled at ISU.

Fall 2005 enrollment
Undergraduate	20,732	-622
Graduate	4,578	-40
Vet Med	431	+23
Total	25,741	-639

Student diversity

There are 2,108 international students enrolled at Iowa State this fall -- 1,461 graduate students, 645 undergraduates, and two international professional (veterinary medicine) students. Overall international student enrollment is down by 187.

Iowa State's total fall enrollment reflects the most ethnically diverse on record. Total U.S. minority student enrollment is 2,123 (8.2 percent of the student population). Last fall's total U.S. minority student enrollment was 2,055, or 7.8 percent of the student population. The goal, as set by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, is to raise that percentage to at least 8.5 percent.

"The university has made great strides toward attracting, enrolling and retaining minority students," said admissions director Marc Harding. "I'm proud of our continuing efforts to diversify Iowa State's student body."

Complete enrollment information is available at http://www.iastate.edu/~registrar/stats.

In the last 30 years, there have been enrollment increases at Iowa State in 18 of those years and decreases in 12, including this fall.