On the grow
Official 2022 fall census shows third-straight year of overall enrollment increases, academically prepared freshmen
This week, UND posted its final 2022 fall semester enrollment, which stands as the official census for the 2022-23 academic year.
The headlines for this year’s UND enrollment are clear: The University overall is on a bit of a growth spurt, despite student numbers trending downward at other institutions regionally and nationally — as schools continue to be challenged by post-pandemic issues and changing landscapes in higher education.
The competing lead story at UND is that not only are there more students taking classes, but the quality of students the University attracts is on an upward trajectory, as well.
UND’s total enrollment for fall 2022 came in at 13,876, reflecting 104 more students, or a .76 increase compared with numbers last fall. In fact, the 2022 overall student tally represents the third-straight year of increased enrollment at UND.
The number of undergraduates increased the most, year over year, to 9, 928, an increase of 210 students. UND also posted strong new transfer student numbers, with 921, which is 28 more than the number of students who chose to transfer to UND last fall.
The UND School of Graduate Studies posted 3,436 graduate students this fall, representing a modest decrease from the fall of 2021. UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences registered 283 incoming students this fall, two more than last year. And the UND School of Law has 229 students, or six fewer than in the fall of 2021.
The number of new freshmen arriving at UND this fall remained relatively stable compared to last year, with 1,753 students. As a cohort, this newest freshman class also appears to be one of the most academically prepared, coming in with an average high school GPA of 3.58, eclipsing the 2020 and 2021 incoming freshman classes, which had tied for the highest-ever average GPA at 3.55.
It doesn’t stop there. UND’s new freshman class also boasts 477 Presidential Scholarship recipients, a 3 percent increase over the last year’s incoming class. The new 2022 freshman class also has eight National Merit Scholar finalists and semifinalists among its cohort.
UND also retained more of its freshmen from last year, reflected in a 2021 to 2022 freshman retention rate of 78.9 percent. That was up from last year’s freshman retention rate of 76.6 percent.
UND’s all-time high enrollment was 15,250 in 2012.
Recent UND Overall Enrollments
2022: 13,876
2021: 13,772
2020: 13,615
2018: 13,581
