SUNY Total Enrollment Sets Record - Increases for Ninth Consecutive Year

Albany – State University of New York Chancellor John R. Ryan today announced that SUNY total enrollment for the fall of 2006 increased for the 9th consecutive year to 417,583 students.  This is the largest number of students enrolled at SUNY since the system was created in 1948.

In addition to historic levels of total enrollment, minority student enrollment and full-time student enrollment also represent the highest levels in SUNY history.

“Record-setting enrollment means SUNY continues to provide access to an affordable high-quality education,” said Chancellor Ryan.  “Record levels of students studying at SUNY will lead to a better educated workforce for New York, a workforce ready to meet the challenges of today’s knowledge economy.”

Highlights of final student enrollment data for the fall of 2006 include:

• Minority student enrollment, which represents nearly 20 percent of SUNY total enrollment, increased 2.6 percent to 81,907 students, another SUNY record.

• SUNY enrolled 290,688 full-time students, the largest number in the system’s history.  This is a 2.1 percent increase over the previous year and a 24.6 percent increase compared to full-time enrollments just ten years ago.  The trend toward more full-time enrollments occurs across the board—with undergraduate and graduate students, and two and four-year campuses all growing. 

• New full-time student enrollment was at an all-time high at 103,631 students. This represents nearly one quarter of SUNY’s total enrollment.

• Overall, new full-time freshmen increased 3.3 percent to 70,441. In the community college sector, new full-time freshman represent a 3.6 percent increase to 39,489 students.  New full-time transfer students increased 1.2 percent to 24,650, and new full-time graduate students grew at 7.1 percent, an especially high rate, to 8,540.

• When viewed by sector, SUNY’s university centers and comprehensive colleges saw especially strong growth at 2.3 percent and 2.2 percent respectively, marking an all-time high for the centers and a 15-year high for the comprehensive colleges. 

• Other impressive enrollment outcomes were a 3 percent increase of international students and students from the other 49 states to 31,384.  Enrollments of students outside of New York represent 7.5 percent of total enrollment.

• Enrollment at SUNY state-operated campuses grew by 1.3 percent to 208,516; and community colleges grew three tenths of a percent to 209,067.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating 417,500 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses.