UW Enrollment Grows for Second Straight Semester

Continuing increases in Wyoming resident and online students, along with the student retention rate, have delivered an increase in year-over-year enrollment at the University of Wyoming for the second straight semester.

UW's overall fall 2025 enrollment, as of the 15th day of classes, stands at 10,819, up from 10,813 at the same time last year. And the 1,444 first-time, first-year students is up nearly 1 percent from the 1,434 in last year's first-time class.

"These are not big increases, but any increases are welcome and celebrated at a time when higher education enrollment nationwide has been struggling to rebound from the pandemic -- and when the number of high school graduates is declining," UW President Ed Seidel says. "We have worked very hard to improve our recruitment and retention of students, and those efforts are starting to bear fruit. We also continue to graduate students in large numbers -- well over 2,800 in the past year. We are encouraged about the progress we're making."

The fall semester enrollment growth follows a 1.4 percent increase in UW's spring 2025 enrollment compared to the previous spring, which was the first year-over-year enrollment increase since before the COVID pandemic.

Driving the improved numbers is a continuing rise in Wyoming resident enrollment. This year's first-time, first-year class includes 927 Wyoming residents, up 2.3 percent from last year and the second-largest incoming classes of resident students in the past 17 years. And UW's total enrollment of Wyoming residents is 7,948, up 1.5 percent from last year.

Also contributing is a continuing increase in student retention. Some 79.4 percent of first-time, first-year students who enrolled at UW last fall have returned for the fall 2025 semester, up from retention rates of 79 percent last year and 76 percent in 2020.

The number of UW students pursuing degrees online increased by 8.5 percent, from 1,896 last fall to 2,058 this semester, while the number of graduate students rose from 2,615 to 2,619, up 0.2 percent.

"The national trend is for growth in online programs, and we expect that will continue to be the case for UW. At the same time, we offer an incredible residential student experience, and we will prioritize on-campus student recruitment," says Shelley Dodd, interim vice provost for enrollment management. "Our amazing new residence halls and dining facility are certainly helping us on those efforts."

The 15-day census is used to calculate UW's official reported enrollment figures because it falls after the class drop/add deadlines and after the first tuition and fee payment is due.

For additional information or questions about UW enrollment, call Dodd at (307) 766-4273 or email [email protected]. Students interested in scheduling campus visits should call UW Admissions at (307) 766-5160 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/visit.