KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 1, 2020

In what is the largest enrollment figure in school history, Kennesaw State University has welcomed more than 40,900 students this fall, marking an 8 percent increase over 2019. 

The University’s record-breaking enrollment is bolstered by more than 8,100 new students representing the Class of 2024. Based on current data, the increase in freshmen and transfer freshmen this fall denotes a nearly 25 percent increase over 2019’s freshman class, which itself was 30 percent larger than the year prior. This means that KSU has the largest freshman class enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs in the state of Georgia.

“The rising enrollment is a reflection of the quality programs, opportunities for engaged learning, and the dedication of our faculty and staff who work every day to ensure the success of students,” said KSU President Pamela Whitten. “Given the current challenges and uncertainty, it is especially gratifying to see that our students and their families are prioritizing a college education.”

The University has significant growth in several areas, including the KSU Journey Honors College with a 7 percent increase since last fall. In January, the college received a $10 million gift from Rosemary and John Brown for a scholarship endowment, further reducing the financial burden for many enrolled students.

In February, KSU received a gift of nearly $9 million from Wellstar Health System to double enrollment in the nursing program by 2025 and help address a nursing shortage in Georgia. Entering freshman seeking to study nursing at KSU increased almost 41 percent over the previous year.

Additionally, the Michael J. Coles College of Business enrollment increased by nearly 4 percent from last fall, while the graduate programs across the University have experienced a nearly 13 percent bump in enrollment. 

KSU’s Marietta Campus has also seen tremendous growth. The Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the state’s second largest engineering school, grew 5 percent from last year to an enrollment of over 5,000 students, and the College of Computing and Software Engineering rose 11 percent from a year ago. 

“Our growth has been reflected in the wide range of outstanding programs and degrees the university offers,” Whitten said. “Our Honors and graduate programs continue to attract the best and brightest from all over, and the programs in Marietta attract top students in the STEM fields. And with KSU’s nursing program benefiting from Wellstar’s generosity, you can bet our graduates will be ready to address critical health needs for our communities in the future.”

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.