See which MS public universities increased enrollment this year

Ole Miss showed the biggest gains in overall students, just as they did the year before, but Mississippi Valley State showed the state's biggest percentile gains in fall enrollment data released by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.

Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State reported that this year's freshman classes are the largest in each university's respective histories.

The data, released this week, shows four public universities out of the nine had positive enrollment increases from fall 2022. In 2022, Ole Miss was the only public university in Mississippi to see a positive increase from the previous year.

This year, the university kept the momentum with an 8.7% increase or 1,727 net new students. This growth does not include the University of Mississippi Medical Center, which went up by 1%.

Ole Miss accepted its largest freshman class in history this year, continuing a trend of accepting more and more new students each year, and topping last year's freshman class, the previous record for incoming students. The total enrollment this fall, not including the UMMC campus, is 21,596, an increase of nearly 2,000 new students compared to last fall.

In a release, Chancellor Glenn Boyce said the increase is evidence of Ole Miss' "dedicated and talented faculty."

"It is an incredibly momentous time at the university, especially as more and more students are choosing Ole Miss to build their personal legacies,” Boyce said. “This fall’s record-high enrollment is a testament to all we have to offer students and families, including an outstanding value, academic excellence and strong student support programs.”

Mississippi State remained steady from last year and saw a no percentage increase. The enrollment went up by eight students compared to last fall, reaching 22,657 as a student body. This steadiness is an improvement from last year, when State's numbers fell by 1.9%.

In a release, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said more and more students are enjoying what their campus has to offer. MSU is the state's largest undergraduate university, with about 1,000 more than the University of Mississippi's Oxford campus.

“More than ever, students and their families are choosing Mississippi State University to earn a degree and prepare for the future while also being part of a truly special and unique college experience,” Keenum said. “We are well known as a friendly and welcoming campus where students can excel in the classroom, grow through hands-on research and service opportunities, and develop lifelong relationships. They can also enjoy all that our vibrant and growing community has to offer.”

MSU stated it received a record number of freshman applications this year, resulting in the largest freshman class in the university's 145-year history.

Jackson State University saw a downturn again this year, totaling a 5% decrease or a loss of 342 students. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, acting president of JSU, said the decrease can be seen as a positive opportunity.

"Jackson State University is not immune to the national decline in enrollment impacting institutions of higher learning nationwide. However, we view this as an opportunity to continue emphasizing the benefits of a JSU education, especially in an evolving world. As artificial intelligence and new technologies in health care spur new job opportunities, we are poised to educate and train the leaders of those future industries," Hayes-Anthony said.

Other universities that saw a decrease in enrollment include Alcorn State, Mississippi University for Women and University of Southern Mississippi.

Southern Miss saw a decrease of 3.1% or 416 students compared to fall of 2022. Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Kristi Motter said the university has had an increase in freshman for the second consecutive year.

“Growing enrollment and creating a student experience that is second to none has been my immediate focus, and we are experiencing the fruit of that labor. Our enrollment goals at Southern Miss are simply, more – more new students, more students staying in school and more students graduating. Our teams are working hand-in-hand with Dr. Lance Nail, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, to enhance all student-focused efforts at Southern Miss and ensure our systems are running at full capacity," Motter said.

Other than Ole Miss, those that saw an overall increase include Delta State (a 6.3% increase) and Mississippi Valley State, which had the highest positive change at 16.9% for a net of 317 new students.

See how the data compares to last year: Ole Miss tops in state for enrollment as Southern Miss, others, drop. See where they rank

Overall, the state saw a 1.8% increase with just over 77,000 students enrolling in Mississippi's public universities.

The overall uptick in enrollment counters a trend seen since the COVID-19 pandemic which caused many public universities to have a decrease in new students.

Alfred Rankins Jr., commissioner of higher education for IHL, said these numbers are encouraging in a statement released alongside the data.

"Our students recognize that a university education continues to be a good investment for their future," Rankins said. "In these challenging economic times, it is encouraging to see more students pursuing an education that will pay dividends throughout their careers and build a strong workforce to fuel our economy."

Public university enrollment figures

Here is a look of fall 2023 enrollment figures by school, according to the IHL:

• Mississippi State University — 22,657

• University of Mississippi (Oxford) — 21,596

• University of Southern Mississippi — 13,110

• Jackson State University — 6,564

• UMMC (Jackson) — 3,114

• Alcorn State University — 2,894

• Delta State University — 2,716

• Mississippi University for Women — 2,227

• Mississippi Valley State University — 2,196

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: IHL releases fall 2023 enrollment data for MS public universities