UM spring enrollment shows signs of more growth

MISSOULA – The University of Montana today reports another rise in student enrollment for the spring semester.

UM reports 10,109 students in its official census count for the 2023 spring semester, a 3.1% student enrollment increase from spring 2022. The continued growth at the Montana flagship is powered by an increase in undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the number of students enrolled at Missoula College.

“Student enrollment at the University of Montana continues to rise,” said UM President Seth Bodnar. “Across the board, we have more students on campus today than last spring. This sustained enrollment growth proves that our efforts to recruit more students and keep them on the path to graduation is yielding progress.”

The 2023 spring semester marks the fourth consecutive semester of growth at UM.

Boosting the overall growth, UM saw a 2.2% increase in the number of undergraduate students who chose to return to campus for the spring semester after being enrolled in the fall. This is the largest percentage increase since prior to the pandemic.

UM’s largest year-over-year leap is at Missoula College, where 280 additional early admit and dual enrollment students helped increase the overall growth at the two-year college by 19%.

The number of full-time equivalent students – those taking a full course load at UM – also grew by 2.3%. Additionally, UM saw year-over-year student growth in the number of student veterans, Native American students and students with disabilities.

For the second consecutive semester, UM’s Physical Therapy partnership program with Rehab Essentials saw a decrease in students. This global program is expected to see a continued decrease in the years ahead as the number of physical therapists who need a “bridge” to a doctoral degree naturally declines.

In December, UM graduated 1,190 students at the conclusion of the fall semester.

The full spring 2023 UM census report is available online at https://bit.ly/UMspring23census.