Regional Industry & News

FARGO — North Dakota State University is reporting a drop in overall students this fall, after three straight years of identical enrollment numbers.

But the university also noted growth in first-year students from North Dakota and in key academic areas tied to the state’s workforce needs, it announced Wednesday, Sept. 23.

NDSU reports 11,609 students this fall, down 343 students or 2.9% compared with a year ago at this time, the first decline in three years. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, the university announced enrollment of exactly 11,952 students.

President Marshall Stewart has said increasing enrollment will be one of his priorities. When introduced in March, Stewart said NDSU's future enrollment could be as high as 15,000 students, maybe more.

This fall, NDSU welcomed 840 first-time freshmen from North Dakota, a 4% increase over last year that it said reflects a focus on access, affordability and keeping students in-state.

Seinquis Leinen, NDSU senior director of strategic enrollment management, said more than 600 of those freshmen North Dakota students are recipients of the Bison Win Scholarship Program.

College and career readiness programs, along with early entry and dual-credit partnerships, continue to make pathways into higher education for North Dakota high school students, she said.

NDSU’s fall-to-fall first-time freshmen retention rate increased slightly, reflecting its investment in student success through professional advising, made possible with legislative funding.

In addition, “substantial growth” occurred in key academic areas tied to North Dakota workforce needs, many of which are supported by that state funding, Leinen said.

The College of Health and Human Sciences saw a more than 10% increase in first-time freshmen, including a 24% increase in new nursing students.

The College of Business finance program saw a 31% increase in first-time freshmen enrolled following the spring launch of NDSU’s Center for Banking and Finance.

The College of Engineering saw a 4% increase in first-time freshmen enrolled, along with an 11% increase in mechanical engineering and a 39% increase in civil engineering.

Those gains coincide with the opening of the Richard Offerdahl ’65 Engineering Complex, funded with a $25 million gift from Richard and Linda Offerdahl, $59 million from the state legislature and leadership gifts.

Enrollment of new graduate students at NDSU is also growing, the university said.

The College of Business saw a 51% increase in new graduate students, while the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources had a 29% increase in new graduate students who are benefiting from the new Bolley Agricultural Lab, home to a variety of agricultural research programs.

Earlier this week, the North Dakota University System announced that enrollment across its 11 colleges and universities remains stable, according to fall 2026 census data.

Systemwide, a total of 47,377 students are enrolled, with 36,030 of them considered full-time equivalent, the system announced in a news release. The University of North Dakota recorded enrollment of 15,908 students, up 64 from last year, while Bismarck State College posted a gain of 119 students.