SAN MARCOS, Texas — San Marcos just got bigger as Texas State University students returned to campus in record numbers for the fall 2024 semester.
The university, chartered by the Texas Legislature 125 years ago, enrolled a record 40,678 students this fall, breaking the previous high of 38,849 set in 2016. The figure includes undergraduate and graduate students.
In a new announcement, Texas State University President Kelly Damphouse praised the historic enrollment numbers and said the school’s mission is to “serve Texas’ growing population.”
“Our strategic enrollment plan will enable more qualified Texans to earn life-changing college degrees,” Damphouse said in the release.
Damphouse emphasized that more than 41 percent of this semester’s students are new to college.
“Our student body is perfectly aligned with that of the state of Texas,” he said in a statement. “We are committed to making higher education more accessible to Texans and are committed to ensuring that all talented students, including those starting at a community college or those who have been out of college for a while, can find a clear path to earning a degree at TXST.”
The Bobcats also recorded a record number of new students (8,165) and the university also recorded a record number of new student applications (45,157) this semester. Texas State University had the most high school seniors in the state applying to college using the Apply Texas Application, according to the release.
Texas State University, Round Rock, also saw an increase in enrollment of about 24% for the fall 2023 semester. The university attributes the significant increase to the addition of 10 new academic programs to the campus, allowing students to earn and complete a four-year degree in Round Rock without having to make the arduous trek down Interstate 35 to San Marcos.
“It’s very special, and I’m so honored to be able to say I’m part of (UTR’s) inaugural freshman class,” Natalie Orantes Cordero, a nursing major from Pflugerville, said in a news release.
Cordero said she chose UT Round Rock as the place to begin her college career because of the small class sizes.
The Round Rock campus opened in 1996 and previously offered only upper- and graduate-level courses.
