SIUE’s Focus on Student Success Strategies Yields Significant Growth in Retention, Transfer Student Enrollment

EDWARDSVILLE- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s fall 2024 enrollment stands at 11,893 a 1.26% decrease compared to the previous fall term. Our student body for fall 2024 comprises scholars from diverse backgrounds, representing 45 U.S. states (Guam and Puerto Rico included) and 66 countries. This fall, we welcomed 1,534 first-time, full-time students.

SIUE has focused attention on transfer relationships to create clearer pathways for students to make seamless transitions. This year brought an increase of 6% in transfer student enrollment. This number is also bolstered by the greater availability of online degree completion programs, with Business Administration as a leader with strong enrollment. SIUE also realized notable enrollment growth in dual credit and early college students by 31%, and a 7.9% increase in international enrollment, resulting in the largest class of international undergraduates and the highest overall enrollment of international students (937 total students) in SIUE’s history.

Our commitment to enhancing student success is evident in the improvements in the first-to-second-year retention rate for undergraduates at 75.7%, a 3.6% increase. The retention rate for Latinx students increased by 3.5%, Asian students by 4.3%, and students who reported being two or more races by 2.9%, demonstrating the effectiveness of intentional, equity-minded strategies to improve retention.

The University will continue to implement ambitious strategies to help students, families, individuals with some college experience, and those seeking graduate and professional opportunities better understand the power of an SIUE education. This year, SIUE increased the income threshold for the SIUE Commitment in Illinois and introduced the SIUE Gateway Opportunity in Missouri, groundbreaking initiatives aimed at ensuring access to higher education for low and middle-income families. In 2023-24, one-half of SIUE undergraduates from Illinois paid 50% or less of assessed tuition and fees after receiving scholarships and other financial aid, including 86.3% of low-income undergraduates.

“Every member of the SIUE administration, faculty, and staff is prepared to leverage the strengths and assets of our university to showcase the transformative power of a college degree,” said James T. Minor, PhD, chancellor of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. "It is important to note that the university posted strong retention numbers for nearly every student population. For example, the first-to-second year retention among Pell eligible students increase by 7 percentage points, and 5.2 percentage points for first-generation students.”

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Home to a diverse student body, SIUE is situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis.

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