Cal State Fullerton commencement 202
Credit: Cal State Fullerton/Flickr
California State University’s fall 2024 enrollment has risen to 461,000 students, driven by record gains among first-time, first-year students that nonetheless left the system short of its fall 2020 peak.
Preliminary data show enrollment across the 23-campus system has inched up 2%, buoyed by more than 68,500 new first-year students this fall.
But Cal State has not yet returned to its 2020 high point, when enrollment hit 485,550 students. Headcount dipped for each of the next three school years, settling at 454,640 students in fall 2023.
In a press release, Chancellor Mildred García said the system is pursuing a “multi-year, holistic enrollment growth strategy” and is focused on recruiting and retaining students, including community college transfers.
“This promising upward momentum demonstrates the confidence that…
