Spring 2025 Enrollment Shows Continuing Growth

Published Friday, February 07, 2025

Members of the campus community gather at the Welcome Walkway

Enrollment at Southwest Minnesota State University continues to climb. The number of students enrolled at the university in Spring 2025 is 2,791, up 17.8% compared to the Spring 2024 term. The growth is 20.4% up over the last five years. Also noteworthy is the retention of students from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 at 86.3%.

"SMSU continues to be the fastest-growing in the Minnesota State system," President Kumara Jayasuriya said. "I am incredibly proud of the efforts across our campus to achieve this unprecedented growth."

The spring enrollment news comes after SMSU announced that university enrollment was also up in Fall 2024. After the first 10 days of the term, SMSU announced that the total headcount was 2,907 for Fall 2024, up 14.9% from the previous year, and the highest enrollment at the university in 14 years.

Jayasuriya said while online programs are growing, the university is also tracking significant growth in on-campus enrollment. The enrollment data does not include high school students who are taking college classes through concurrent enrollment or PSEO programs, Jayasuriya said.

Currently, social work, psychology, and education are some of the most popular majors at SMSU. Jayasuriya emphasized developments like the partnership with Avera for a four-year nursing degree as well as a Master of Social Work. Additionally, North Star Mutual School of Business, in partnership with North Star Mutual Insurance Company of Cottonwood, continues to build enrollments in accounting, management, marketing, and MBA programs.

Growth in enrollment makes a big impact on SMSU’s financial situation, Jayasuriya said. “While the state budget situation is tenuous, our growth puts us in a more positive position than many other campuses across the system which allow us to continuing putting students first.”