DSU enrollment tops 3500

September 13, 2023

Enrollment numbers are up this fall at Dakota State University in multiple categories, including total enrollment.

There are 3,509 students enrolled at DSU this fall, up from 3,241 last fall, an 8.3% increase. This is the first time enrollment has topped 3,500 for the institution. Eighty-four percent (2,951) are undergraduates, 16% are graduate students.

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) student numbers are up 9.9%. This is a reflection of the number of credit hours divided by what is considered a full-time load. This is a positive trend, as research shows that students who take a full-time class load are far more likely to eventually achieve their desired degree.

New freshmen numbers are up 6.2% and transfer students are up 12.4%. Fifty-nine percent (2,086) are online students, 38% are on-campus, reflecting a 13% increase in the number of online only students for DSU.

The percentage of students from South Dakota is up 9.36%. These students account for 61% of the student body. Sixty-four of South Dakota’s 66 counties are represented in those numbers, and there are students from all 50 states.

“Our strong enrollment reflects DSU’s relevant, high quality academic programs and bold innovation happening across the university,” said Dr. Rebecca Hoey, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.  She noted that graduate student numbers have increased greatly this fall, continuing a trend seen over the last several years.

There are 558 graduate students, an increase of over 15% from last fall. This includes 273 master’s students and 236 doctoral students. This significant increase reflects a new student support model in the graduate school, said Hoey.

Amy Crissinger, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said “as we dig deeper into the data that make up these positive enrollment outcomes, it is exciting to see contributions throughout the university at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”

She stated, “the considerable growth we’ve seen this fall speaks to the strength of our academic programs and the people we have working here at DSU, both out front and behind the scenes doing everything they can to provide guidance and support during the admission process and then throughout their college career,” she stated. This includes the Admissions team, and a strategic marketing initiative which builds awareness of the institution’s programs and other educational opportunities, such as research, internships, and extra-curricular activity.