UNK enrollment drops slightly, growth in key areas
Enrollment at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is declining slightly but university officials are excited about growth in key areas.
By News Channel Nebraska
KEARNEY, Neb. — Enrollment at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is declining slightly but university officials are excited about growth in key areas.
UNK announced Wednesday that it has a total enrollment of 6,017 students, down 0.4% from last year’s total of 6,041. A news release says the decline is in line with national trends that have seen undergraduate enrollments decline in four of the last five years. UNK’s enrollment is at its lowest point since at least 1999 and is more than 1,100 fewer than the school’s 21st century peak of 7,199 in 2012.
UNK officials point to numbers like a 5.4% increase in first-time freshmen students and a 1.2% increase in graduate students as evidence that the school is poised to start growing again.
“The increase in first-time freshmen and graduate students represents an all-campus effort on recruitment and retention,” UNK vice chancellor of enrollment management Kelly Bartling said. “A five-point plan to increase undergraduate enrollment includes increasing the number and size of scholarships, an emphasis on student success and completion, expertise in first-generation and Hispanic student recruitment and success, being transfer-friendly, and focusing on career and internship development.”
The University of Nebraska system overall has a total enrollment of 49,419, a drop 148 students compared to last year. All campuses except the University of Nebraska Medical Center saw a decrease.
From the news release:
UNK students are from 46 states (none from Rhode Island, Hawaii, Vermont or Delaware), with non-resident students comprising 17.4% of the student population. The largest number of students from states outside Nebraska are Colorado (145), Kansas (111) and California (56). Students are from 62 countries – the largest number ever and an increase of 10 countries from last year. The countries with the highest numbers are Japan (112), Mexico (54), Nepal (19), China (17), South Korea (11) and India (10).
Students are from 91 Nebraska counties, with UNK recording the most students ever this fall from both Hall County (378) and Lancaster County (371). Demographic data indicates increases in student diversity. The number of students who are Hispanic increased to 759 – the largest ever – up 3%. First-time freshmen students who are Hispanic numbered 131 – also the highest number ever, and a 10% increase over fall 2022. The number of Hispanic students has increased 46.8% since 2013. UNK’s Black or African-American students number 138, which is tied for the largest number ever, and an increase of 15% over last year. UNK enrolled 252 non-resident alien students, a decrease of 5%.