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DePaul built on positive fall quarter outcomes by enrolling 21,953 students this winter, almost 3 percent more than the budgeted target. Students registered for 275,976 credit hours, generating $224.8 million in gross revenue, the highest for a winter quarter in university history.
After accounting for all institutionally budgeted aid, DePaul’s net tuition revenue was $151 million, which has been stable for the last four years.
“Consistent with the direction provided by the Board of Trustees, we intentionally set conservative enrollment estimates in the budget process, and we successfully exceeded those this winter even with an overall enrollment that is about 300 students fewer than last year,” explains David Kalsbeek, senior vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing. “The revenue outcomes are particularly notable. They largely reflect changes in enrollment mix, particularly the gains in graduate programs.”
Graduate enrollment of 7,003 students not only exceeds the initial budgeted estimate by 4 percent, it is 92 students more than last year. KGSB alone increased 211 students (11 percent) over winter 2017. CMN, COE and CSH all posted gains over last year as well. Graduate credit hours surpass the budgeted target by 6 percent and are 2 percent more than last year. Moreover, enrollment in the College of Law stands at 812 students, about 16 percent over budget and 3 percent more than last year.
Undergraduate enrollment is 14,138 students, slightly above this year’s budgeted goal of 13,970 but 3 percent less than last year. The 211,824 undergraduate credit hours are about 2 percent more than the budgeted estimate.
Students registered for 40,105 online credit hours, a university record for any quarter ever. Online hours accounted for nearly 15 percent of all credits this winter.
While the winter outcomes are positive, the university must remain focused on delivering successful outcomes each and every quarter as the higher education market will remain volatile, Kalsbeek says.
“In this increasingly competitive environment, achieving DePaul’s enrollment and tuition revenue goals is our most critical strategic endeavor. These are times when even enrollment stability is an achievement we dare not take for granted, and which continues to require a campus-wide commitment.”
Below are additional highlights from the final enrollment data for winter quarter based on the Jan. 20, 2018, census.
New Students
There are 1,256 new students registered, 5 percent over the budgeted target and nearly equal to last winter (down 14 students). Six percent of total winter enrollment is comprised of new students starting in January. New graduate and law enrollment is 679 students, 4 percent greater than the budget estimate though 9 percent less than last year. The number of new undergraduates enrolling this winter is 577 students, which is 34 students, or 6 percent, above the budgeted target.
Continuing Students
Continuing graduate enrollment of 6,349 students is 278 students (5 percent) above the budgeted estimate and 3 percent more than last year. Continuing undergraduate enrollment of 13,561 students is 1 percent over the budgeted estimate of 13,427 but about 4 percent less than last winter. Law enrolled 787 continuing students, 90 students over the budgeted estimate and 19 more than last year, largely the result of enrolling 67 new students over the budgeted target for the fall 2017 semester.