MSU enrollment falls just short of 2018 record

Missouri State University's official student census data has been released, and fall enrollment is just short of the school's record for the Springfield campus.

Fall enrollment at the Springfield campus is 24,224, which is 166 students below the school record of 24,390 set in 2018, according to a news release.

The Springfield campus figure represents a 3.9% enrollment increase year over year.

“We’re thrilled to see such strong enrollment numbers for this fall,” MSU President Clif Smart said in the release. “This growth is a testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff, and to the quality of education we offer."

The freshmen class at MSU came in at 2,783, up 22.1% year over year. School officials say that's the largest fall-to-fall increase in school history.

MSU set an enrollment record for graduate students, with 4,295 enrolled, up 1.7% year over year, according to the release.