University of Missouri reports increased enrollment in fall semester marked by COVID-19

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri saw enrollment gains this fall despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

MU officials on Thursday reported a four-week enrollment of 31,105, up 3.5% from 2019. The four-week number is the one used for the official enrollment count because it comes after a key deadline to drop classes.

The jump beats last year's increase, which was 1 percent.

MU stated in a news release that it also saw record freshman retention rate of 89.4% and a record six-year graduation rate of 73%.

Provost Latha Ramchand said in the release that the gains are the result of a systematic effort at MU to help keep students in school and graduate.

Retention and on-time graduation rates among Black students also reached records at 86% and 62.3%, respectively. Recruiting and retention of minority students has been a priority at MU since the student-led protests over race issues in fall 2015.

The university experienced large enrollment drops the year after the protests but has been building those numbers since.