Enrollment at University of Tennessee Hits All-Time High

Enrollment across the University of Tennessee’s (UT) five campuses reached an all-time high this fall, according to a press release by the UT system.

This fall semester, a total of 58,726 students enrolled in the UT system – a 4.8 percent increase from last fall. Each campus saw an enrollment increase except for the UT Health Science Center, which saw a decrease of 19 students enrolled at the campus.

Year-over-year, UT Chattanooga saw an increase of 97 students, UT Martin saw an increase of 73 students, and UT Southern saw an increase of 44 students enrolled.

UT Knoxville recorded the largest growth as 2,499 more students enrolled at the campus this year compared to last.

The UT Knoxville campus also recorded a 6.8 percent year-over-year increase in undergraduate enrollment from 2022 to 2023. In total, UT Knoxville has experienced more than 20 percent growth in enrollment within the past five years.

Since the fall of 2019, the UT System says it has “experienced steady growth in enrollment, graduation rates and increases in the number of degrees awarded,” citing the following data:

• 13.8 percent increase in total enrollment;
• 3.8 percent increase in 6-year graduation rate;
• 3.1 percent increase in 4-year graduation rate;
• 9.1 percent increase in bachelor’s degrees awarded; and
• 17.1 percent increase in graduate and professional degrees awarded.

“While national enrollment trends may show a decline, setting a new record for enrollment across our UT System campuses is a testament to the outstanding work of our faculty and staff who work incredibly hard to provide an accessible, high-quality education,” UT System President Randy Boyd said in a statement. “Growth in retention is one key factor in our record enrollment numbers. These trends also reflect the dedication and determination of our students, who are seizing the opportunities our UT campuses offer to shape their futures. Our students recognize the value of a UT education while our campuses continue to adapt and innovate to meet their needs.”

Enrollment increases across the UT system comes as the Biden Administration continues to find ways to “forgive” hundreds of billions in student debt for borrowers despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down the Administration’s original proposal to cancel such debt.

“We’ve canceled $127 billion in student debt for nearly 3.6 million Americans. It’s a big deal,” President Biden tweeted on Sunday.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “University of Tennessee Students” by University of Tennessee.

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