Education

Illinois Public Universities See Highest Enrollment Levels in a Decade

Public universities across Illinois saw their highest enrollment levels in a decade this fall after nearly 190,000 students enrolled statewide at the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education on Monday announced that total enrollment in Illinois public universities increased for the second year in a row and hit its highest overall level in 10 years.

“Illinois has made significant investments in higher education, and it’s paying off, with public universities achieving the highest enrollment in a decade,” Pritzker said in a statement. “No matter their background, Illinoisans deserve accessible, high-quality education — and high enrollment in our state’s public universities means that more Illinoisans are realizing their full potential.” ​

Overall student enrollment across Illinois’ 12 public universities grew by 2.3% this fall, according to the state, a jump sparked by “significant” increases in Black and Latino student populations. Black student enrollment increased by 9.7%, while Latino enrollment increased by 8.3%.

The number of first-time, full-time freshmen increased by 6.8%, while the number of incoming transfers jumped up by 6.5%, according to state data. Illinois universities also saw an increase of 1.4% in student retention from last fall to this fall.

Undergraduate enrollment increased at eight of the state’s 12 public universities, led by Chicago State University (15%) and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (10.7%).

“These enrollment gains reflect our continued commitment to removing barriers to make our higher education system more equitable and ensuring everyone in Illinois has an opportunity to pursue a higher education no matter their starting point,” IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro said in a statement. “When we remove barriers, we create opportunities, and that is what this growth is all about.”

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