University System of Georgia (USG) enrollment this fall climbed to a record high of 344,392 students, reversing two years of enrollment declines with a 3% annual gain.
Enrollment increased at 23 of USG’s 26 public colleges and universities, according to USG’s Fall 2023 Semester Enrollment Report. The number of students at USG institutions across Georgia rose by 9,993 over last fall.
“Our institutions prepare Georgians to start businesses, launch successful careers, bring creative ideas to life and otherwise pursue their dreams of prosperity and purpose,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “This is happening as we focus on aligning degrees to the state’s workforce needs, from nursing and teaching to logistics and cybersecurity. Our campuses make a transformational difference in students’ lives, and I appreciate the work being done by our presidents, faculty and staff across the system to help more students than ever succeed.”
Much like public higher education institutions across the nation, USG enrollment had fallen in the past two years after seven consecutive years of growth. Between 2013 and 2020, USG saw a steady increase in the number of students attending its institutions, with record-high headcounts each fall between 2015 and 2020 — including the previous all-time high in Fall 2020 of 341,489 students.
Then, for the first time since 2013, enrollment in Fall 2021 dipped -0.2% to 340,638. The following year, total enrollment for Fall 2022 fell again to 334,459 students.
Now, the Fall 2023 headcount increased across all four sectors of institutions within the system, with comprehensive universities up the most by number of students (3,294) and state colleges up the most by percentage (5%).
The biggest institutional increase by numbers was at the Georgia Institute of Technology (2,665), and the largest percentage increase was at Georgia Southwestern State University (11%). Only Georgia State University (-2.8%), Valdosta State University (-0.4%) and East Georgia State College (-6.9%) experienced declines.
Also bucking the two-year downward trend, the number of Georgians attending the state’s 26 public colleges and universities increased by 6,586 students (2.5%).
Both undergraduate and graduate enrollment were up for Fall 2023. Undergrad enrollment grew by 5,657 students (2.2%) from 2022. Within that, dual enrollment is up by 3,001 students (24.7%) and beginning freshman enrollment, which had declined the last two years, increased by 2,402 students (4.6%). Graduate/professional enrollment increased by 4,293 students (6.3%), with the largest growth at the master’s level (2,694/5.6%).
Demographic numbers show USG’s student population also continues to diversify. An increase in Black students (2,561/3%) reverses declines in that category over the past two fall terms, while students identifying as Asian (2,986/7%) and Latino (2552/7%) both grew, respectively. The number of white students increased (387/0.3%) for the first time since 2011, although that category still declined as an overall share of USG’s student population due to larger growth in other categories.
The enrollment numbers were released in USG’s annual fall semester enrollment report, which analyzes enrollment data by institution, age, gender, race and ethnicity, in-state, out-of-state and international students. The full report is available here.
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