CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) - Southern Illinois Carbondale continues its third consecutive year of spring enrollment growth.
Overall enrollment for spring 2026 climbed 0.5% to 10,919 students, up from 10,869 in spring 2025.
Online and transfer:
There was a 25% increase in students pursuing an online degree, rising from 1,594 students to 1,986.
Transfer student enrollment jumped 10%.
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Retention:
The fall-to-spring retention rate for full-time undergraduates stands at 86.7%, a 2.6% increase over the previous year.
The retention gains were widespread across diverse student populations:
- Pell-eligible students: Up 4%
- First-generation students: Up 4%
- Hispanic students: Up 8% overall, with Hispanic females up 9%
- Black/African American students: Up 4% overall, with males up 8%
Regionally:
Enrollment from the Southern Illinois region increased by 8%, and retention increased by 0.3%.
Beyond Illinois, SIU saw an enrollment increase from multiple states, including Mississippi (up 29%), Kansas (up 13%), Texas (up 11%) and Washington (up 9%).
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