UTEP enrollment hits all-time high

The University of Texas at El Paso reached an all-time enrollment high of 22,749 students for the fall 2012 semester, continuing a trend of steady enrollment growth of more than 32 percent over the past 10 years.

The University also reached another milestone in fall 2012 by enrolling the largest entering class in the University’s history. The fall semester enrollment includes 2,890 first-time students and 1,637 transfer students – a 2 percent increase in new undergraduate students from fall 2011.

“The healthy growth in new undergraduate students at UTEP, 83 percent of whom come from El Paso County, is a tribute to the success of our collaborative efforts with EPCC and area schools to raise educational aspirations and attainment among young people across this region,” said UTEP President Diana Natalicio. “They will be the key to El Paso’s future prosperity and quality of life.”

Enrollment in doctoral and special professional degrees, which includes Ph.D., Ed.D., D.P.T. (Doctor of Physical Therapy) and D.N.P. (Doctor of Nursing Practice) degrees, grew nearly 11 percent to 727 students, compared to 656 last fall and 600 in 2010. Over the past decade, UTEP’s doctoral enrollment has increased by more than 210 percent.

UTEP offers 19 doctoral degrees. In August, the University of Texas System Board of Regents approved UTEP’s proposal to establish master’s and doctoral degree programs in biomedical engineering. With approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the doctoral degree would become UTEP’s 20th.

“Positioning UTEP as a national research university requires growth both in the number of doctoral programs and students, and this growth brings related benefits of continued recruitment of top-flight faculty and stronger scholarship and research,” said UTEP Provost Junius Gonzales. “With no doubt, these all also contribute to El Paso and the region’s workforce and competitiveness. I believe this year’s overall enrollment growth, especially in new undergraduate and doctoral students, also signifies UTEP’s ongoing commitment to student success.”

UTEP recently was ranked as the 12th most impactful university in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine, and was ranked first in creating social mobility for its students.

The University also has been credited by the U.S. Department of Education with having the lowest “net price” tuition among all national research universities designated by the Carnegie Foundation.

Source: UTEP