Ohio University's total enrollment climbs again

Ohio University once again saw a significant increase in total enrollment this fall, climbing more than 1,300 students to 29,625 for a 4.6 percent gain. The University saw growth across its populations and campuses, including growth in both undergraduate and graduate enrollment at its main campus in Athens, overall enrollment growth at its regional campuses, significant growth in its OHIO Online undergraduate programs and a modest gain in enrollment across its 3-campus medical school. 

OHIO enrolled students from all 88 Ohio counties, all 50 states and 99 countries around the world. 

“We are continuing to see students and families interested in the value we offer in terms of affordable, level-rate tuition but more importantly our focus on outcomes,” said President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “Our focus is on ensuring our students leave ready to seize the success they deserve.  

We recently refreshed our University mission and vision, and we are doubling down on our promise to deliver the most valuable University education in Ohio – for our students, for the communities we serve and for the state.” 

Ohio University’s first-year to second-year retention on its Athens campus jumped significantly for the second year in a row to 84.1 percent. This is the highest retention rate OHIO has seen since 2002.  

Executive Vice President and Provost Don Leo credits the gain to the Ohio University faculty and their direct engagement with and mentoring of students along with the work done by Student Affairs to ensure students are engaged with campus leadership opportunities and co-curricular activities. In addition, Ohio University’s Guarantee+ Graduation Plan, which ensures students stay on track to on-time graduation, remains a driver for retention. 

Ohio University completed the rollout of the Guarantee+ Graduation plan on its Athens campus in the fall of 2022. As part of the program, each student is assigned a Student Success Team including an advisor, experiential learning specialist and career coach to ensure they maximize their experience at OHIO. In addition, students work with their Student Success Team to craft a plan toward on-time graduation. 

“Our Guarantee+ program helps students see a clear path to graduation and ensures they are connected with experiences on and off campus that will set them up for success,” Leo said. 

Ohio University welcomed another large, well-qualified first-year class to Athens as planned, enrolling 4,345 new students following record-setting incoming classes the previous two years. The University saw a record high of more than 27,000 applications for fall 2024.  

Notably, OHIO saw growth in the number of out-of-state students, with 628 non-Ohio students enrolling as part of the first-year class. Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Illinois continue to be the largest feeder states for Ohio University.  

In addition, the University saw nearly 4 percent growth in the number of first-year students enrolling from Appalachian counties in Ohio. This includes 136 students enrolled as part of the first year of the President’s Opportunity Promise. This program, inspired by President Gonzalez who is from Appalachian Kentucky, makes it possible for qualifying Pell-eligible students in Athens County or any of its bordering counties in Ohio to attend Ohio tuition-free. 

Together with significant changes to federal and state aid programs, the President’s Opportunity Promise program played a role in the percentage of Pell-eligible students as a portion of the first-year class, which climbed nearly 5 percentage points to 28.3 percent.  

The academic profile of the entering class is strong once again: Ohio University’s first-year students entered with an average high school GPA of 3.64; more than 12 percent of enrolled first-year students were ranked in the top 5 percent of their high school graduating class.  

Online undergraduate student enrollment at OHIO exploded this fall with nearly 26 percent growth in new student enrollment and nearly 14 percent growth in total online undergraduate enrollment. 

That growth is driven by increases in new students entering OHIO’s high-quality, fully online programs in in-demand areas such as business, project management, and interior architecture, along with continued growth in OHIO’s leading online psychology and RN to BSN degrees.

OHIO Online also saw growth in new students in key online graduate programs, including the Master of Social Work, the online Master of Business Administration and the Doctor of Nursing Practice. 

OHIO's Regional Higher Education saw enrollment growth, with Ohio University Chillicothe, Ohio University Lancaster and Ohio University Zanesville all seeing notable gains.  

Total enrollment across all five campuses was 3,858, a gain of just over 2 percent. Ohio University Chillicothe is the largest of the five regional campuses with 1,208 students enrolled. 

Finally, Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine enrollment grew by just over 1 percent, crossing the four-digit mark to 1,007 students enrolled. The Heritage College, which includes campuses in Athens, Dublin and Cleveland, exclusively enrolls candidates training as physicians, with a focus on training osteopathic primary care physicians to serve Ohio. 

The Heritage College trains more physicians than any other university in Ohio and is the state’s largest producer of primary care physicians. Heritage College graduates are highly sought members of Ohio's health care teams, as evidenced by the college’s 99 percent residency match in 2024. 

“OHIO’s continued enrollment successes are the result of significant work by our faculty and staff to consistently deliver a valuable, transformational education,” said Vice President of Enrollment Management Candace J. Boeninger. “At every OHIO campus and online, we are proud to welcome and continue to serve these talented students, and we remain committed to supporting their success at Ohio University and beyond.”