AUSTIN, Texas — Student demand and performance at The University of Texas at Austin continue to reach all-time highs, according to data collected on the 12th class day of the Fall 2024 term. The number of freshman applications increased by 10% for the second straight year, and enrollment reached a record high for the third consecutive year. This year’s four-year graduation rate, based on students who began college with remote learning during the pandemic, continued a decade-long upward trend.
A record 72,885 students submitted freshman applications for Fall 2024, an increase of 10.2% from the previous year. Total enrollment rose to 53,864 students, a 1.5% increase from last year’s record. This year’s entering freshman class of 9,210 is the second-largest class ever. First-year undergraduate retention tied its all-time high of 96.7%. The four-year graduation rate climbed to 74.8%, surpassing the record set during the previous year and nearly 23 percentage points higher than the 52.0% in 2013. Four-year graduation rates for Pell-eligible, first-generation, Black and Hispanic students continue to outpace the ten-year gains of all students.
“Opportunity, excellence and results drive demand,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “We continue to hire great faculty, create new and unique academic opportunities for incoming students, offer a vibrant campus in a thriving city and state, and find new ways to make a first-class education more affordable. As a result, demand for The University of Texas is stronger than ever, and once students arrive, they are performing better than ever—graduating sooner, taking on less debt, launching their careers—and creating more room for additional students to come and be part of this community.”
Since 2020 increases in UT’s four-year graduation rates for Pell-eligible students have outpaced those of all undergraduates. During this time period graduation rates for all undergraduates increased by 2.6 percentage points while graduation rates for Pell-eligible (67.5%) increased by 3.6 percentage points.
Affordability is cited as a driver of student performance decreasing student time commitment to part-time jobs and increasing access to on-campus housing where students statistically perform better.
Programs such as UT for Me — powered by Dell Scholars and Texas Advance Commitment — have contributed significantly toward lowering attendance costs particularly for Pell-eligible students.The average net tuition for UT undergraduate students has dropped to $4,152 which is now below average net tuition just four years ago by approximately $1k or roughly one-third less overall cost .The University’s housing affordability scholarship ,now entering its second full cycle ,has made campus housing more affordable providing up-to $2300 annually assisting those most financially challenged paying specifically towards UT-owned properties .
Fall completes over ten years unprecedented gains across board including dramatic improvements seen retention & completion rates attributed directly initiatives launched between ’12–’13 .
Student diversity remains hallmark Texas’ flagship institution showing continued growth Hispanic ,Black Asian ethnicities respectively making-up substantial proportions total population
All figures mentioned reflect data collected through first twelve days final numbers available online Trends Student Data definitive source annual statistics regarding university