A Destination College

This fall, ETSU celebrated its largest incoming class in a decade at 2,056 students — a 25 percent increase over the past two years. Overall enrollment increased by 195 students over the 2021 fall semester, with total headcount enrollment, including undergraduate, graduate, pharmacy, and medical students, reaching 13,738.

“Increasingly, people across the country are recognizing ETSU as a destination institution, with worldclass faculty, affordable tuition rates, stellar employment outcomes, and a rich student experience — all within the breathtaking mountains of the Appalachian Highlands,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland.

ETSU’s student body includes students from all 50 states and 62 countries. New student enrollment from the Virginia and North Carolina counties bordering the region is up 75 percent over last year. Much of the university’s growth has been driven by enrollment by out-of-state students. Nearly 16 percent of the fall 2022 incoming class came from out of state compared to just 12 percent in 2019 prior to the pandemic.

Additionally, many high school students are getting a jump start on college at ETSU. Dual enrollment increased by 40 percent over last year. The most recent incoming class had the highest high school grade point average (GPA) in recent years, a 3.6 on a 4.0 scale.

ETSU also welcomed its most ethnically and racially diverse student body in the history of the institution in fall 2022. Nearly 26 percent of this year’s maincampus students identified as non-white — a seven percentage point increase over the past five years.

“We still have a great deal of work to do to eliminate equity gaps and ensure equal access to educational opportunities,” Noland said. “However, we are pleased to be moving in the right direction.”

The most popular undergraduate programs of study include nursing, psychology, management, computer science, and biology. At the graduate level, the programs with the highest enrollment include public health, educational leadership, nursing, social work, and physical therapy.

“We are thrilled with the growth in enrollment,” said Dr. Joe Sherlin, Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment. “But it is not enough to just get them through the door. We are equally focused on ensuring students’ long-term success.”

The university has instituted a number of initiatives focused on supporting students’ academic, social, emotional, physical, and financial well-being. These efforts include launching a one-stop advising center, adding additional mental health counseling services, developing new living-learning communities, coordinating campuswide healthy lifestyles campaigns, and addressing degree affordability.

This work is beginning to yield significant dividends. The university’s graduation rate last year was the highest in the school’s history, with 55 percent of students graduating within six years. Retention rates also began to rebound following a dip during the pandemic. Additionally, U.S. News and World Report recently ranked ETSU in the top 100 colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of student debt.

Jessica Vodden is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer in ETSU’s Office of Marketing and Communications. | Photos by Ron Campbell and Charlie Warden