South Dakota public universities see slight enrollment increase after 4-year decline

Enrollment at South Dakota’s six public universities has grown by 235, or less than 1 percent, this school year, according to an enrollment report released by the South Dakota Board of Regents on Tuesday.

While it’s a small increase system-wide, it’s a better outcome than the system has seen since 2018, when enrollment started declining system-wide and continued to decline for four years until now. The current system-wide total headcount is 33,690 students.

SDBOR executive director Brian Maher attributed the success to a slight increase in high school graduates statewide, and the goal of making tuition flat in the years to come, as the BOR has continued to set tuition freezes the last two years.

It’s also the first year of the Freedom Scholarship, Maher said, a needs-based scholarship for students who will stay and work in the state three years after graduation. At SDSU, for example, 478 students received a Freedom Scholarship this school year.

Each of those components is what will keep South Dakota's public colleges growing in enrollment, and affordability, for years to come, Maher said. South Dakota’s public colleges also welcomed a total of 5,259 first-year freshmen this school year, an increase of 6.3% for the university system.

2021's enrollment numbers: Board of Regents reports enrollment loss of 121 students, 4 years of declining enrollment

“We’re excited to see so many new faces on campus,” Maher said in a news release. “Having more than 5,000 incoming first-year students is encouraging for higher education in South Dakota.”

Enrollment increased at all public universities in South Dakota except SDSU and Black Hills State.

South Dakota State University

2021 headcount: 11,465

2022 headcount: 11,331

Enrollment decreased by 134 students at SDSU, but despite this, credit hours have increased at the university, from 134,324 last year to 134,786 this year.

SDSU attributes the decrease in overall headcount to fewer students in graduate school courses, particularly those who were not seeking a degree, but taking an advanced course for professional development.

“We are seeing our graduate school reset itself following the COVID-19 pandemic,” SDSU President Barry Dunn said in a news release. “It is not uncommon for land-grant universities to see an increase in graduate-level classes being taken during a disruption in the economy such as a recession, or as in the case the past two years, a global pandemic."

Dunn said there's continued growth and interest in the educational fields of animal science and agriculture on campus.

SDSU’s first-time freshman class includes 2,192 students this year, which is the largest freshman class at SDSU since 2017.

55% of SDSU's student population is from South Dakota residents, a figure the university reports is consistent with last year. Freshman-to-sophomore retention remained steady at 78.8%

SDSU's international student population also increased to 621 this year, up from 589 students last year.

University of South Dakota

2021 headcount: 9,464

2022 headcount: 9,856

Enrollment increased by 392 students at USD.

USD’s first-time freshman class includes 1,326 students this year, an increase of 7.7%, the university reports. Enrollment is up in each of USD's schools and colleges, with the College of Fine Arts leading the way at more than 43% new undergraduate enrollment growth.

The freshman-to-sophomore retention rate sits at 81.7%, USD reports.

Enrollment from Nebraska reached a historic high this year, followed by Iowa and Minnesota.

International student enrollment saw a historic high, too, with 219 incoming students coming from 35 countries, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Nigeria. USD has a total of 400 international students.

Native American undergraduate student enrollment continues to increase at USD, too, the university reported, with a 17.9% improvement from last year.

USD President Sheila Gestring said the university has had to turn away 20 graduate students this year, despite new graduate enrollment being up over 17.7% from last year, the largest number of new graduate students enrolled over the past five years.

Some temporary lounges in student dormitories have been used in the past for the housing needs on campus, Gestring explained; but, by spring, things will open up and officials can move more students into regular housing.

There are plans to renovate all residence halls in the next few years, Gestring said, and the campus is in conversation with hotels for next fall.

Black Hills State University

2021 headcount: 3,539

2022 headcount: 3,425

Enrollment decreased by 114 students at BHSU.

BHSU’s first-time freshman class includes 481 students this year.

Northern State University

2021 headcount: 3,340

2022 headcount: 3,344

Enrollment increased by four students at NSU.

NSU’s first-time freshman class includes 299 students this year, and is the "most academically prepared" freshman class in over 20 years, as the new freshman class has an average high school grade point average of 3.40, the highest since the university started tracking it in 1998. 69% of the freshman class are South Dakota residents.

Northern reported a 19% increase in new, first-time graduate students as well on Tuesday. Since 2018, NSU has seen a 45% increase in new, first-time graduate students.

Northern also had a 32 percent increase in undergraduate credit hours at Huron Community Campus.

NSU also boasts a 74% freshman-to-sophomore retention rate.

Dakota State University

2021 headcount: 3,219

2022 headcount: 3,241

Enrollment increased by 22 students at DSU, and DSU’s first-time freshman class includes 372 students this year.

The university points to increases in total headcount, full-time equivalent students, undergraduates, new freshmen, transfer students, students from South Dakota and online students as positive signs "given several factors in higher education in recent years," according to a press release from DSU.

DSU's freshman class size increased 1.6% this year, graduate enrollment up 3.42% to 484 students, and transfer student numbers increased 15%, to 210 students. DSU's freshman-to-sophomore retention rate also improved to 74.5%, the highest the university has reported since 2007.

DSU has 501 student-athletes this fall, compared to 471 last year. 811 students live in DSU's residence halls, marking the first time occupancy has been over 800. Last year's occupancy was 770. DSU also enrolls 123 international students from 52 countries.

South Dakota Mines

2021 headcount: 2,418

2022 headcount: 2,493

Enrollment increased by 75 students at Mines, and Mines’ first-time freshman class includes 538 students this year.

The number of classes students are taking has also increased by 800 credit hours from this time last year, Mines reports. The university also boasted an 82% freshman-to-sophomore retention rate in a news release.

“STEM professionals are in great need across the country and we’re proud to educate the next generation of thought leaders,” Mines President Jim Rankin said in a news release. “Our graduates are continually advancing the frontier of innovation. The Mines students of today are the problem solvers our nation needs tomorrow.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota universities see slight enrollment growth in 2022