NMU, MTU see student enrollment increases

What's happening:  Both Northern Michigan University and Michigan Technological University — the two largest institutions of higher learning in the Upper Peninsula — are reporting spikes in enrollment for the fall semester. NMU experienced a 3.3 percent increase this fall, after graduating its largest class in university history last spring. In Houghton, MTU had its third straight year of increased enrollment; the school has its largest student body ever this academic year.

Where is the growth: For NMU, a 10 percent increase in freshmen students and a 15 percent increase in transfer and graduate students brings the total student population to 7,197 students. Northern has also seen a 45 percent growth in online classes through its global campus program. According to the university, most of these students are graduate students and current teachers requiring additional certifications.

At Michigan Tech, 7,320 students are enrolled this academic year; 1,463 are first-year students. More than 2,200 — or approximately 30 percent — of those students are women. That is the highest number of female students in the school's history. International students from India and Nigeria are also helping raise overall enrollment.

What they're saying: “We’re very pleased to be in this strong position when that is not the case for so many of our peers,” said NMU President Brock Tessman. “It says a lot about Northern being an attractive option for students from near and far, and supports the value-added factor we work so hard to provide them while they’re here. Obviously, this positive trend impacts the bottom line and helps us to balance the budget, but the confidence that comes with financial stability also allows for a longer-term strategic vision.”

What's next: NMU and MTU, along with other midsized Michigan universities like Grand Valley, Ferris State and Oakland, grew in the fall 2023 semester, but other state universities like Wayne State, Central Michigan and Saginaw Valley saw an enrollment decrease. The two U.P. schools will look for ways to continue their growth, retention and graduation rates for the rest of the school year.