Fayetteville State University Eclipses 7,000 Students for the First Time in History

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville State University’s fall 2024 enrollment surpasses 7,000 students, marking the third consecutive year of record-setting enrollment representing a 12% increase since fall 2018.  After welcoming the Class of 2028’s nearly 800 first-time freshmen and more than 1,000 transfer students, a historical number of 7,107 Broncos are officially enrolled at FSU this fall. According to the 2024 census data, the university saw an increase in enrollment for the following populations:

• 2,288 military-affiliated students (120 enrollment increase from 2023)
• 1,001 total transfer students (77 enrollment increase from 2023)

“I am elated to have more than 7,100 students from various backgrounds – traditional-aged students, adult learners, and military-affiliated students – join the Bronco family, thereby allowing us the opportunity to serve as a launch pad toward their desired careers,” said FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison. The enrollment announcement is on the heels of Fayetteville State University being awarded the #1 rank as the most affordable university in the nation, according to The College Investor.

"FSU’s enrollment growth and national ranking, I believe, is evidence that higher education is still a desired path that students see helping them achieve their goals, but we must be fully committed to doing all we can as institutions to make the experience as most affordable as possible and completed in 4 years or less. Over the last 3 years at FSU, we are doubling our efforts to do just that and results like these are not only encouraging to students but for our FSU faculty and staff as well," said Allison.

Also, this is the second consecutive year with a retention rate of at least 75%. Under the leadership of Chancellor Allison, FSU's Ready for Tomorrow strategic plan for 2027 prioritizes academic excellence and student success and has witnessed impressive results thus far.

“This enrollment growth comes from the hard work of many departments and from extensive planning and strategic investments. Our mission is reverberating throughout the region, state, and beyond as a premier option for quality, accessible, affordable education,” said Pamela Baldwin, vice chancellor for strategic enrollment and student success. We have introduced numerous initiatives that are contributing to the success we are witnessing in enrollment and retention.

FSU recently announced it is an approved Air University partner and is continuing its free Military Tuition Scholarship which began in fall 2022. Along with deliberately strengthening its relationship with neighboring Ft. Liberty, the largest military installation in the nation, these actions led to a remarkable increase in military-connected students.

The Bronco Benefit Initiative is a guaranteed transfer agreement between FSU and 16 North Carolina community colleges. Approximately 30% of this fall’s transfer students are from Bronco Benefit institutions.