Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor is celebrating overall enrollment growth this year, thanks to record-high numbers on its Michigan campus and an increase among new traditional undergraduate students and graduate populations in Mequon.
Recently released fall 2023 census data shows that CUWAA is up 4 percent in total enrollment from last year. Altogether, Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor serves 6,415 students, according to a third-Friday in September census snapshot.
“Concordia’s enrollment growth is due to a collective dedication to our university’s mission, as we nurture each student’s dreams and aspirations,” says Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services Robert Nowak. “Our students feel this from the very first ‘hello.’ It is a blessing and a privilege to be entrusted to help students along the way. We know there is a lot of great things yet to come, and we continue to reach for new horizons.”
Greater graduate populations
On the Mequon side, CUW saw noticeable growth among its graduate populations, with 17 percent more students enrolled in 2023 than in fall of last year. Two programs that had the most noticeable jumps are:
- Master of Science in Computer Science | 702 students in 2024, more than double last year’s count
- Master of Science in Business Analytics | 85 students in 2024, up 68 students from last year
CUW provides a robust slate of graduate-level programs, with dozens of master’s degrees available to learners worldwide. Additionally, Concordia offers six doctoral options, more than any other Lutheran university in the nation. Learners can earn terminal degrees in pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing practice, business administration, and leadership in innovation and continuous improvement.
New students, new transfer partnerships
The Mequon campus is also trending towards increases among its undergraduate population, as CUW welcomed more new students at the start of the academic year (550) than last year. New student counts include all incoming freshmen and transfer students. Numbers are tallied on the first day of the academic year as opposed to the third Friday in September.
Nowak notes that CUW’s transfer student uptick is the result of new partnerships formed with various two-year colleges. The Office of Admissions, in tandem with Concordia’s Financial Aid Office has also increased scholarship offerings to attract the ever-growing transfer student population.
Learners from around the world
In 2022, Concordia’s Office of Admissions formed a dedicated department devoted to international admissions. The team has contributed to a boom in international enrollment at CUW. Prior to COVID, Concordia boasted the fourth-largest international enrollment of any college or university in Wisconsin. This year, international has more than doubled from Concordia’s highest count pre-pandemic. As of census, Concordia had 87 undergraduate international students enrolled and 1,097 graduate students.
Next week, the CUW will celebrate International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State. The goal of the global initiative is to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and to attract future leaders from abroad to study in the U.S.
Growth without sacrificing quality and commitment to the university’s mission
While Concordia is dependent upon tuition dollars derived, in part, from enrollees, its driving force remains its commitment to “helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.” Results of a university-conducted survey administered to May 2023 graduates show the university is making good on its mission:
- 92% of graduates agreed that they are better prepared to serve and lead by putting the needs of others first
- 92% agreed that their academic program helped them to develop skills to be successful
- 89% agreed that their time at Concordia helped them better understand their calling and purpose in life
Concordia welcomes learners of all religious backgrounds, but the university’s affinity to its Lutheran commitment is clear. As such, more Lutherans choose to enroll at CUW than any other Lutheran university nationwide. Results of the 2022-23 Concordia University System report, the most recent data available, show that CUW serves 1,099 Lutheran (any denomination) undergraduates and 541 Lutherans at the graduate level.
Learn more fast facts about CUW here. Read about the enrollment celebrations of Concordia’s Ann Arbor campus here.
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Christ-minded. Ethical. Hard working. Respectful. Curious. Leader. While all our students are different, certain qualities unite our community and make us Concordians. We look forward to welcoming you to the ranks of our alumni.