University of Missouri welcomes more than 5,100 freshmen as new semester begins

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri said Monday that 5,100 freshmen are starting their college careers at the Columbia campus.

According to a news release, that's a 3% increase from last year and brings the total enrollment to around 30,700 students, with 23,000 undergraduates. Monday was the first day of classes on the MU campus.

The retention rate for first-year returning students was at 91%, according to Jim Spain, the vice-provost of undergraduate studies.

The university has focused on enrollment after a sharp drop last decade following protests on campus.

MU says it has invested in student retention with a reported 95.4% of graduates having successful career outcomes within six months.