(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — October 12, 2023) As higher education institutions across the state and nation grapple with declining enrollments, Empire State University is seeing increases in its Fall 2023 undergraduate and graduate student enrollment. The university reports a 3% increase in undergraduate enrollment and 16% increase in graduate enrollment.

Undergraduate enrollments at public and private nonprofit four-year institutions across the country continue their decline from 2018. According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse, nationwide college enrollment remains well below pre-pandemic levels, down approximately 1.09 million students overall and approximately 1.16 million undergraduates, compared to spring 2020.

Demographic shifts, economic uncertainty, rising tuition, and the COVID-19 pandemic have played significant roles in the nationwide decline. SUNY Empire’s multi-layered approach to meeting the needs of a changing college demographic has served it well. The institution is SUNY’s leading online university, and is New York state’s only public online institution.

SUNY Empire Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Andrea Hennessy, said the university’s commitments to access, affordability, and innovative approaches to higher education have been key to the university’s enrollment success.

“SUNY Empire has long recognized the need to serve a constantly changing student demographic and evolving workforce demands,” Hennessy said. "We invested heavily in innovative programs, including online courses, certificate programs, and career-focused majors. These initiatives have attracted a diverse group of learners, from traditional students to working professionals seeking upskilling opportunities.”

Nathan Gonyea, Ph.D., provost at SUNY Empire, said the university has also keyed in on specific areas of academic growth, with graduate education programs leading the way.

“Since the pandemic, a growing number of students have sought online education for its flexibility and convenience,” Gonyea said. “Ours is a very crowded marketplace, and we are pleased that so many students recognize the flexibility, value, and high quality of an online degree from Empire State University. To meet the increased demand, we have been expanding our faculty and increasing our degree program offerings.”

In addition, Gonyea said the university’s online programs and courses are built with online students at the fore, and that successfully teaching online courses isn’t as simple as bringing a traditional course online.

“Our online courses are designed to be taught online,” Gonyea said. “They are planned, prepared, and developed by instructional designers and faculty steeped in online course design best practices.”

Associate Provost for Student Success Seana Logsdon said SUNY Empire also has heavily invested in holistic student support systems, which can be sparse or missing from programs launched by more traditional colleges moving into the online space. She said SUNY Empire’s online student support services — which include virtual student success coaching, tutoring, library services, mental health support, student activities, and career-development services — underpin its innovative academic model and help foster a strong sense of community.

“Our online student supports are as comprehensive as — and often more seamlessly integrated into the student experience than — those at traditional institutions,” Logsdon said. “We recognize that online students face many of the same academic and personal challenges ‘traditional’ students face, and we have responded accordingly.”

SUNY Empire also offers a second fall term, which begins on October 23 and ends on December 15. The university is optimistic that its Fall 2 enrollment numbers will maintain an upward trajectory.

SUNY Empire President Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D. said while the numbers tell an exciting story about growth and progress, the university’s focus remains on their students’ academic journeys.

"These enrollment numbers are a testament to our commitment to meeting our students where they are and to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education,” Vollendorf said. “Since 1971, SUNY Empire has been meeting the needs of learners at all stages of life with a constantly evolving, dynamic, innovative approach to education that considers students’ diverse backgrounds and learning styles. Although it looks a lot different in 2023, that concept is just as appealing to students today as it was 52 years ago.”