Illinois public universities recorded a total fall enrollment of 185,590 students, marking a 1.6% increase and adding 2,933 students compared to the previous year, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. This growth represents the first overall enrollment increase across the state’s public university system since Fall 2021.
Undergraduate and Graduate Enrollment Trends
Undergraduate enrollment across Illinois public institutions climbed by 2% with an addition of 2,551 students, sustaining positive momentum from the prior academic year, according to data from the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Graduate and professional programs experienced a 0.7% bump, adding 382 students and reversing a 2.5% decline recorded the previous year.
Specialized enrollment categories also saw notable shifts. New full-time transfer student enrollment grew by 5.1%, bringing in an additional 489 students. Dual credit enrollment posted a 9.8% year-over-year jump, adding 287 students to the public university system.
Demographic Shifts in Enrollment
Enrollment among African American students rose by 3.5% to reach 21,054 students, driven by a 2.8% undergraduate increase and a 6% rise in graduate enrollment, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. African American freshman counts grew by 2.6%, while transfer numbers within this group jumped by 14.5%.
Latino undergraduate enrollment grew by 1.4% with 333 more students, though Latino freshman enrollment dipped by 2.9%. Latino transfer students increased by 6.9%. Meanwhile, new Asian transfer enrollment expanded by 9.8%, reaching 749 students, with Asian male transfers growing by 12.8%.
Student Retention Rates Across Campuses
The one-year retention rate for full-time freshmen rose by one full percentage point to reach 81.3% for the 2023–24 academic year cohort, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Chicago State University recorded the largest retention increase in the state, jumping 8.1 percentage points to 56.1%.
Other institutions posting significant gains in fall-to-fall retention included Northern Illinois University at 69.6%, the University of Illinois Springfield at 74.8%, and Governors State University at 56.7%, according to state data. Despite overall retention improvements, disparities persist, as universities retain African American students at rates 25 percentage points lower than white students, and Latino students at rates more than 11 percentage points lower than white students.