Texas State welcomes record freshman, doctoral enrollment for 2018

Inside TXST

Jayme Blaschke | September 27, 2018

Texas State University has announced a record-setting freshman class of 6,087 for the 2018 fall semester, a 3.6 percent increase over the previous record set in 2017.

This marks the sixth straight year for record freshman enrollment. More than 32,500 freshman applied for admission in 2018, an increase of 34 percent since 2014.

Overall, Texas State reported total enrollment of 38,661 students for fall 2018, which was relatively flat from a year earlier. Significantly, the makeup of the student body more closely mirrors that of the Texas population than ever before. Data from the 2010 Texas census reports the state’s ethnic makeup as 38 percent Hispanic, 11 percent African-American and 4 percent Asian. Texas State’s student body is comprised of 37 percent Hispanic, 11 percent African-American and 2.5 percent Asian. When all demographics are combined, ethnic minorities comprise 53.1 percent of the student population. 

"This year's enrollment continues the trend of our student population becoming more representative of the State of Texas' population as a whole," said Texas State University President Denise M. Trauth. "This reflects the university's ongoing mission to serve the citizens of Texas and to play a leading role in preparing the workforce for the coming decades."  

Student success was underscored by a record number of graduates receiving degrees—8,552 for the 2017-2018 academic year.

New graduate enrollment was also on the rise, up 11 percent from fall 2017. The 72 new incoming doctoral students set a record as well, surpassing the previous mark from 2016. 

"Texas State’s research and degree programs are seen as drivers of innovation and creativity, which attracts students focused on gaining experiences, knowledge and skills that will serve them well in their careers and lives as engaged citizens," said Gene Bourgeois, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The Round Rock Campus set a new enrollment record with 1,984 students, a 5.1 percent increase over 2017. This growth was driven in large part by the the College of Health Professions' relocation of Communication Disorders, Physical Therapy and Respiratory Care programs from San Marcos to Round Rock following completion of Willow Hall, a state-of-the-art, 107,000-square foot health care educational facility. 

The College of Science and Engineering showed continued growth as Texas State’s largest college, reporting an all-time-high enrollment of 6,586 students ― comprising 17 percent of the overall student population. The growth of the College of Science and Engineering, driven in part by added and expanded degree programs in recent years, contributed to the need for Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall, the newest science and engineering building, which opened this fall. Ingram Hall is the university's largest academic building.