Friday, December 8, 2023

UTSA achieves student success, enrollment milestones for fall semester

UTSA achieves student success, enrollment milestones for fall semester

OCTOBER 13, 2020 — Enrollment at UTSA reached a record high in fall 2020, according to a report from the Office of Institutional Research, with 34,742 students enrolled this semester. The growth represents a 6.6% increase from last fall’s record enrollment of 32,594.

More than 29,000 of this year’s students are undergraduates, a 5.7% increase from last fall. Graduate enrollment nears 4,700, with a 14.1% increase in the master’s students overall and a 40% increase in new master’s students. Ninety new master’s students enrolled through Keep Running With Us, a new program that offers automatic admission into a selection of master’s programs to qualified UTSA undergraduates.

Noteworthy highlights from UTSA’s fall 2020 enrollment:

  • The new College for Health, Community and Policy now is UTSA’s largest college, with an enrollment of more than 6,800 students—20% of the total student population.
  • Female students account for 52% of enrollment, up 1% from last fall.
  • 57% of students identify as Hispanic/Latino—an increase of 1.3% from last fall—and overall, 65% identify as being from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group.
  • 95% of students are from Texas, with 51% from Bexar County.

“In spite of the interruptions in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our students persevered in their studies—with support from dedicated faculty and staff.”



“UTSA serves as a driver of social and economic mobility for our city and state, and we are particularly proud of our role in advancing opportunities for those historically underrepresented populations from here in San Antonio,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “At the same time, UTSA is playing a large role in statewide efforts to close the gaps in educational attainment.”

The university’s online degree programs also saw a jump in enrollment: 340 students now are enrolled in the suite of fully online degree programs, including cybersecurity, facilities management and multidisciplinary studies, a 66% increase over last fall. In these workforce-oriented, fully online degree programs, 85% of students enrolled are 23 or older and 66% are male.

Additionally, key student success metrics saw significant gains over the past year. For the first time the university’s first-year retention rate cracked into the nationally recognized benchmark by exceeding 80% (from 77% in 2019). Four-year graduation rate improved to 34% (from 31% in 2019) and the six-year graduation rate continued to exceed 50%.

Notably, a record 7,415 degrees were awarded in the 2019–2020 academic year, up from 7,047 in 2018–2019.

“In spite of the interruptions in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our students persevered in their studies—with support from dedicated faculty and staff—to advance their own bold futures and to help meet the workforce needs in San Antonio and Texas,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “UTSA is making noteworthy progress overall in the retention and graduation of our students in support of our institutional goal to be a national model for student success.”

As part of the total enrollment of 34,742, the university welcomed 5,320 new undergraduates this fall. The fall enrollment includes an 11% increase in freshman Roadrunners and a 2% increase in new transfer students.

Of note:

  • 56% of new first-year students ranked in the top quartile of their high school graduating classes.
  • 43% of new first-year students are first-generation college students; 50% of new transfer students are first-generation.
  • 60% of new first-year students identify as Hispanic; 69% identify as an underrepresented minority.
  • Although 98% of new students are from Texas, the remaining 2% come from 37 other states and 36 countries.

UTSA’s institutional investment in additional aid to those who are most economically disadvantaged is making a difference. One in five of first-time, full-time Roadrunner freshmen are enrolled through UTSA’s Bold Promise program, which covers 100% of tuition and fees for incoming freshmen who ranked in the top 25% of their high school class, are Texas residents and have a family income up to $50,500. Of the more than 900 Bold Promise recipients, 72% are first-generation college students, and 87% are from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in higher education.

“Even in their first year both Bold Promise and Keep Running With Us programs are showing significant impact on our undergraduate and graduate enrollments,” said Espy. “More importantly, they are creating pathways for high-achieving students to pursue their educational goals.”

Rebecca Luther



UTSA Today is produced by University Strategic Communications,
the official news source
of The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu.


UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.


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UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.