WISCONSIN — This fall, the Universities of Wisconsin saw its first growth in enrollment since 2014.

According to official 10-day enrollment figures, enrollment increased by more than 1,700 students. This brought the Universities of Wisconsin total enrollment to 162,528, which is a 1.1% increase from last year’s enrollment. 

“These enrollment numbers are encouraging as we seek to increase the number of graduates in all corners of the state,” said Jay Rothman, Universities of Wisconsin president. “The Universities of Wisconsin generate the talent that powers our workforce, and we are pleased to be the choice of so many new and returning students.”

New freshman enrollment is up at 10 of the 13 main campuses across the Universities of Wisconsin. Overall, new freshman enrollment of Wisconsin residents is up by 3.4%.

While overall enrollment at the Universities of Wisconsin is up, there have been some decreases. Enrollment at branch campuses fell by 4%.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UW-Green Bay) saw the greatest growth in enrollment among the Universities of Wisconsin. A 7.6% enrollment increase put the school over the 10,000 student mark for the first time in UW-Green Bay’s history.

“Our growth is exciting because it is an important driver of our economy and quality of life in our region,” said Michael Alexander, UW-Green Bay chancellor. “We continue to buck enrollment trends, think differently about enrollment and redefine how we can best serve our communities. This milestone is just the beginning of where we are trying to go and is a proud moment for our faculty and staff that have worked incredibly hard to make it happen.”