The University of Akron's enrollment is down about 180 students compared to the same time last year, the university said Tuesday.
The university has seen enrollment decline almost every year since 2010. The one exception was fall 2023, when it appeared the university had potentially stabilized, with nine more students than the prior year.
Total enrollment for the fall 2024 semester is 14,813.
There are several positives to highlight, the university said in a news release, including admissions and applications increasing by 10%. It also saw increases in high school students attending college courses through the College Credit Plus program, and the total number of graduate students was up about 150 students to 1,781 students.
The university also made progress on making education more affordable for students in the last year, it said.
"UA made significant strides in financial accessibility, as nearly 100% of students received some form of financial support," the release explains. "Thanks to the new Making Akron Possible (MAP) Grant, which provides tuition-free education to students from select counties with a household income of $50,000 or less, many families found higher education more affordable. Given the program’s success in its inaugural year, we are already considering raising the income threshold for 2025 to broaden access."
Enrollment statistics are rolling in this week with universities reporting their fall totals to the state several weeks into the semester. Cleveland State University enrollment was up slightly this year, after similarly experiencing years of enrollment declines, while Youngstown State University Tuesday reported it also bucked the trend and saw a significant increase in students.
