(The Center Square) – There are, as expected, more students at UW schools this year after the Universities of Wisconsin released the official, 10th day enrollment numbers.
“Fall 2024 enrollment at the Universities of Wisconsin rose by 1.2%, or 1,900 students, for a total of 164,431 students,” the UW said in a statement. “It’s the second straight year of enrollment growth across Wisconsin’s 13 public universities.
UW-Madison is the largest with 51,791 students. Not every campus, however, saw enrollment jump this year.
“Wisconsin students and parents continue to value a Universities of Wisconsin education, and we’re extremely proud that our enrollment has increased for the second year in a row,” UW President Jay Rothman added.
Eight of the UW’s 13 four-year universities saw enrollment increase and five saw enrollment fall.
Six UW campuses, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior all have fewer than 10,000 students.
UW-Milwaukee has 22,683 students, but after that the rest of the campuses have between 10,000 and 13,000 students.
It is a different situation, however, for the UW’s smallest schools.
The university says enrollment at its two-year campuses continues to fall. Enrollment at the branch campuses is down 22% compared to last year’s numbers.
Branch campus enrollment has been falling for years. Six branch campuses have either closed or will close in the next year.
Rothman has said in the past that branch campuses will need to find a new mission.
But the UWs four-year campuses are also facing enrollment challenges.
There are no plans to close any of Wisconsin’s larger campuses, but many of the schools other than Madison have ordered spending cuts and layoffs.
There is a legislative study committee looking at the future of the UW System, but that committee is not expected to have any suggestions for lawmakers until sometime in 2025.
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