SANTA FE – Freshman college enrollment continues to surge in New Mexico, the Higher Education Department announced Wednesday.

First-time enrollment in colleges and universities has risen 9.2 percent statewide, according to data for the fall 2024 semester.

This is yet another year-over-year increase in first-time, full-time college participation in New Mexico; meanwhile, the national trend is heading in the opposite direction.

According to preliminary fall semester data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, freshman enrollment in 2024 is down 5 percent. National data is showing notable declines in enrollment at both public and private non-profit colleges as well as colleges that serve low-income students.

Freshman enrollment in New Mexico has increased each of the last four fall semesters, from 9,810 new students reporting in 2021 to 12,077 this fall, an increase of 23.1 percent over that time period.

"We can safely assert the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, with its inclusive and expansive approach to tuition-free higher education, has made a real difference for thousands of New Mexicans," said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez. "New Mexico is bucking national trends and spreading more opportunity to more young adults — and we will continue to make every effort to reach more prospective students and provide more career pathways to New Mexicans."

New first-time, full-time college enrollment in New Mexico increased at every category of higher education institution (research universities, comprehensive universities, branch community colleges and independent community colleges).

More broadly, college enrollment overall in New Mexico has risen each of the last three academic years and 9.6 percent in total since 2021.

Each of the categories of higher education institution has seen an increase in enrollment in that time:

8.1 percent for enrollment at research universities
13.5 percent for comprehensive universities
15.1 percent for branch community colleges
7.5 percent for independent community colleges

Current and prospective students can learn more about the Opportunity Scholarship at ReachHigherNM.com.