September 9, 2024
UNL Community,
Today, I am pleased to share with you that for the first time since 2017 we can celebrate an overall enrollment increase at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A total of 23,992 students are choosing to attend our university this fall, the most since 2021 and a 1.7 percent increase over Fall 2023.
You can find the full details of this exciting news from the University’s news release.
This overall enrollment increase is a credit to the faculty and staff who worked so hard to retain our current students and enroll new Huskers. Thank you for all that you have done to encourage students to attend and thrive at the UNL. This increase is also a credit to our student body, which continues to demonstrate their commitment to completing their degree programs in a timely manner. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to your scholarly pursuits.
Importantly, our rising retention rate from freshman to sophomore year, a record 86 percent, is a positive sign that we are succeeding at what matters most—UNL students are progressing, graduating, and are ready to contribute to communities across Nebraska and beyond.
As it relates to some of our newest Huskers, the Class of 2028 demonstrates that Nebraska’s high school students understand that they do not have to leave home to access the robust academic opportunities and student life offered by a Big Ten, flagship, research university. This year’s first-time freshmen from Nebraska represent the second largest in-state class in school history, only nine students short of the record.
While there is all this and more to celebrate, we still have work to do, including expanding our reach to more out-of-state prospective students. Nevertheless, we accept that challenge and will build upon the success of our enrollment increase. Let us continue pressing forward into a bright future for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Go Big Red!
Rodney D. Bennett
Chancellor