WT Shows Gains in Sophomores, Juniors in Fall Enrollment Numbers

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Sophomore and junior enrollment is up at West Texas A&M University, newly released figures show.

On-campus semester credit hours also rose more than 7 percent over 2022, showing the continuing success of retention programs at the University.

“Undergraduate enrollment is strong at WT, and those improvements in retention means a greater percentage of our students are going to earn their degree,” said Mike Knox, vice president for enrollment management. “And the increase in semester credit hours is positive news, because our state funding is directly tied to those hours.”

Numbers should continue to rise, said WT President Walter V. Wendler.

“The Texas A&M University System has frozen tuition and fees through the spring of 2025. And our recent announcement of no textbook costs for students starting in the fall of 2024 means that students being recruited now will see significant savings by choosing WT, and WT remains one of the best education values in the entire country,” Wendler said.

For fall 2023, sophomore numbers grew by more than 5 percent, and junior numbers were up more than 2 percent.

The 12th class day is when Texas’ public universities traditionally report enrollment in the fall and spring semesters.

More than 47 percent of WT undergraduates are first-generation college students. Looking at the full student body, including graduate students, more than 47 percent are racially and ethnically diverse, about 44 percent are Pell Grant-eligible, and 36 percent are online-only.

Transfer students from other four-year institutions grew about 27 percent, and junior-college transfers held steady, despite ongoing national downward enrollment trends at two-year colleges.

Nine departments also saw overall increases in enrollment. The Department of Agricultural Sciences in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences rose again over 2021’s historic high numbers; with 1,131 students, it is WT’s second-largest department behind the Department of Marketing, Management and General Business in the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business.

Overall, the Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences grew nearly 3 percent over 2022.

The Department of Computer Information and Decision Management in the Engler College of Business grew by more than 14 percent over 2022.

The Department of Engineering and Computer Sciences saw an increase for the College of Engineering, rising nearly 7 percent over 2022. Overall, the College grew by nearly 4 percent.

Also seeing upticks: the Department of Education and the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work in the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences; the Department of Communication in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities; and the Department of Nursing, the Department of Communication Disorders and Department of Sports and Exercise Sciences, all in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Those increases mean that each of WT’s six Colleges saw growth for the year.

WT’s overall enrollment saw a slight decline to 9,061, down about 2 percent compared to fall enrollment last year. WT Graduate School numbers also dipped somewhat, as is expected in strong job markets.

WT remains committed to being regionally responsive to the needs of the people of the Texas Panhandle, as laid out in the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021— has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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