Education

Oklahoma public college and university enrollment on the rise

By Beth Wallis,

StateImpact Oklahoma

Published November 8, 2024 at 6:01 AM CST

Students walk on Oklahoma State University's campus in Stillwater.

Enrollment at Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities is up. According to a report from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the preliminary headcount of enrolled students increased by 4.5% since last fall.

Oklahoma State University’s headcount enrollment increased by 6%, largely helped by a sizable boost at its Center for Health Sciences. The University of Oklahoma saw its enrollment rise by 5.5%, though it had a 9.5% drop in students at its Law Center.

As for smaller schools, El Reno’s Redlands Community College boosted its numbers by 14%, and Tishomingo’s Murray State College rose by almost 11%. Redlands’ numbers were helped with a 72% jump in first-time entering enrollment, which counts students who have never enrolled at a higher education institution.

Concurrent enrollment for high schoolers saw a bump across the state. Weatherford’s Southwestern State University and Edmond’s University of Central Oklahoma increased their concurrent students by 50% and 51.7%, respectively. Chickasha’s University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma multiplied its concurrent students by sevenfold, from nine to 73.

While overall enrollment trends are up, some institutions saw dips in their headcounts: Goodwell’s Oklahoma Panhandle State University fell by 6.7%, Wilburton’s Eastern Oklahoma State College fell by 3.2%, OSU-IT Okmulgee fell by 3.7%, OSU Oklahoma City fell by 4.3%, and Oklahoma City Community College fell by half of one percent.