UW System enrollment balances small losses with several gains

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, UW System enrollment is projected to stay flat this fall as some universities’ gains balance slight decreases elsewhere.

The System expects a 0.3% increase over last year’s enrollment, with 540 more students this fall semester over fall 2022’s 160,782. UW–Platteville, UW–Whitewater, and UW–Stevens Point anticipate gains of around 3.4% each.

UW–Madison, with an increase of 668 students, and UW–Green Bay had the smallest growth percentages, each at roughly 1.2%. UW–Madison’s limited growth was planned as it sought to adjust for a larger-than–expected class last fall. Fewer openings did not deter applicants, however; around 68,000 first-year and transfer students applied this semester.

UW–Oshkosh will see the largest percentage drop at around 1.7% as it looks to erase a $15.1 million budget shortfall.

Estimates are based on first-day registration figures and will likely differ somewhat from the official count to be reported by the System to the U.S. Department of Education on day 10.

Enrollment stability for the UW System is influenced by a 3% increase in freshman enrollment across universities, excluding UW–Madison.

Only two of the System’s schools, UW–Madison and UW–Stout, are expected to operate without a structural deficit next year.