The growth was largely led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which notably saw its first enrollment increase since 2017, thanks to strong gains in both undergraduate and graduate students. UNL enrollment rose 1.7% this fall from last fall to 23,992 students.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center also recorded its 24th consecutive record enrollment, up 3.2% to 4,703.

The growth of UNL and UNMC caused the total enrollment in the system to increase by seven-tenths of 1 percent to 49,749 students.

Enrollment at the University of Nebraska at Omaha fell 0.3% to 14,972, while enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Kearney continued a recent decline, falling 2.3% to 5,881. All NU figures are based on a census taken annually on the sixth day of college.

NU officials say the enrollment increase comes despite a number of challenges facing higher education nationally, including changing demographics and a decline in the number of students filling out federal financial aid forms.

“A growing University of Nebraska means a growing State of Nebraska, and that’s good news for our workforce, for the strength of our communities, and for our future competitiveness,” NU President Jeffrey Gold said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that students and families continue to recognize the combination of quality and value that all of our campuses provide.”

UNL saw 3,579 freshmen from Nebraska attend, the highest number since 2017.

Emma Robbins of Morrill is one of the new freshmen who are contributing to a 9 percent increase in enrollment in UNL’s engineering school. She cited the personal attention she received during recruitment and Kiewit Hall, the new engineering school building that opened earlier this year, as factors in her decision to come to Lincoln.

“It’s a great space and offers so many opportunities for students,” she said.

But the higher enrollments are also being fueled by a record-breaking student retention rate, UNL officials said. Preliminary data indicates that 86% of first-year students will return for their sophomore year in 2023.

“This increase in enrollment is a credit to the faculty and staff who have worked so hard to retain our current students and enroll new Huskers,” said Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett.

In total, the school had 19,305 undergraduate students, up 1.8% from fall 2023, and 4,064 graduate students, up 1.3%.

UNL’s student body includes students from all 50 states. International enrollment also increased for the first time in six years, by 1 percent to 1,654.

Gold believed that the renewed focus on student recruitment and engagement has seen the system bounce back, despite the challenges facing higher education as a whole.

This year’s challenges include the U.S. Department of Education’s botched rollout of a redesigned Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form last year, which left students uncertain as they considered college choices and waited for news on financial aid.

According to a national FAFSA tracker, the number of FAFSA-filed students in Nebraska is down 11% compared to the same period last year.

While enrollments at UNO and UNK declined, Gold noted that UNO saw growth in graduate students, while UNK had strong student retention. He said enrollments of undergraduates and students coming from Nebraska grew systemwide, which he said bodes well for the state’s future workforce.

Gold celebrated the growth, but also said the university must now support and retain students on their path to a degree.

“The opportunity and responsibility for our public university system to provide a quality educational experience at all levels and educate the 21st century workforce that Nebraska needs and deserves has never been greater,” he said.