WIU’s lousy enrollment numbers
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rosy press release…
Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that public universities in Illinois achieved the highest enrollment level in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year. Total enrollment at Illinois public universities increased for the second consecutive year and is the highest in 10 years according to IBHE’s annual First Look Fall Enrollment report.
“Illinois has made significant investments in higher education, and it’s paying off, with public universities achieving the highest enrollment in a decade,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “No matter their background, Illinoisans deserve accessible, high-quality education—and high enrollment in our state’s public universities means that more Illinoisans are realizing their full potential.”
Since taking office, Governor Pritzker has made historic, sustained investments to make higher education more affordable, accessible, and attainable for every Illinois student. Over the past seven years, Governor Pritzker has increased operating funding for public universities and community colleges by more than $255 million; increased financial aid by $345 million; expanded public universities’ use of the Common App; made Illinois a top five state for FAFSA completion; and this past legislative session, signed into law a direct admissions program that will make it easier for Illinois students to enroll in the state’s public universities.
Illinois’ public universities are seeing renewed momentum in student enrollment and retention, according to the latest statewide data. Total student enrollment across Illinois’ 12 public universities increased by 2.3% this fall—bringing total enrollment to 189,791 students. This marks the second consecutive year of total enrollment growth and also reflects significant increases in African American and Latino student populations.
The overall increase in enrollment was attributable to a variety of factors, including:
• Increase in first-time, full-time freshman enrollment (6.8% increase)
• Higher rates of transfer students (6.5% increase)
• Increase in fall-to-fall retention (1.4% increase)
* But that positive release overlooks the current problem child of Illinois higher education: Western Illinois University…
* Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment. In the fall of 2025-26, ten public universities reported dual credit/dual enrollment students. As shown in Table 2, dual credit enrollment was up by 18.1%
* First-Time, Full-Time Undergraduates. Fall 2025 marked the fifth consecutive year of growth and the highest recent number of full-time freshmen at Illinois public universities, representing 27,165 new freshmen. This reverses the pandemic low from the fall of academic year 2020-21.
* New Full-Time Transfer Students. New full-time transfer enrollment was up over six percent (+6.5%) from the previous year.
* Continuing Undergraduate Students. For the 2025-26 academic year, there were 1,786 additional continuing undergraduate students (+2.1% year-over-year).
* Graduate and Undergraduate Enrollment Summary. As shown in Table 6, total enrollment increased by 2.3%, with a 3.8% increase at the undergraduate level along with a 1.1% decrease in graduate/professional enrollments.
* WIU Undergrad: -2.6%
* WIU Grad: -19.1%
* Enrollment of African American Students. Overall, African American enrollment increased by 9.7% (+2,039 students) to 23,001 students in 2025-26.
* WIU Undergrad: -20.4%
* WIU Grad: -24.3%
* Enrollment of Latino Students As shown in Figure 3, total Latino student enrollment reached a new peak of 32,381, after an increase of 8.3% (+2,491 students).
* WIU Undergrad: -10.3%
* WIU Grad: -11.8%
* Fall to Fall Retention by Institution. As shown in Figure 6, there was variation across the 12 Illinois public universities in retention of new freshmen from fall of academic year 2023-24 to fall of 2025-26 (reported as 2025). UIUC continued to have the highest retention rate at 95.4% followed by UIC at 82.5%. WIU had the lowest rate at 59.7%
* Also, Illinois State University’s numbers are trending downward or flat-lining. Take a look.
- Go Leathernecks! - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
Put WIU alumnus Kirk Dillard on it. Problem solved. Snark.
Sometime ago, Chicago State University was the problem campus, but many comments were posted defending CSU and opposing its closure.
- JS Mill - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 1:55 pm:
Unless you live close to Macomb or are going to receive a scholarship there is no real reason to go to WIU.
It is one of the least accessible locations, has fewer and fewer programs, and the town offers little to do (not that Charleston is a thriving metro either).
- Steve - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 1:56 pm:
It’s impressive overall considering higher education is a declining industry since 2011 nationally.
- Archpundit - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 1:58 pm:
ISU could just be the drop in international students. Something to watch, but I wouldn’t be terribly concerned.
Everyone should be doing what EIU is doing with dual enrollment.
WIU needs a significant leadership change. It’s a tough place to recruit to, but not as bad as those numbers.
- Think again - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 1:58 pm:
WIU’s low enrollment is just the worst part of the bigger problem of IL-based kids going out of state for college - IL is the 6th worst…
“The student migration ratio of Illinois is 0.51:1. This means that for every 0.51 students who entered the state, one student left the state. Illinois saw 18,369 students enter the state and 35,884 leave – 20.09% of college students in Illinois came from out-of-state and 67.09% of students seeking higher education in Illinois chose to stay in-state”
https://northernstar.info/126144/news/illinois-has-the-fourth-lowest-rate-of-student-migration-in-the-u-s/
- Archpundit - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:00 pm:
==It’s impressive overall considering higher education is a declining industry since 2011 nationally.
The general trend the last two years has been up. Higher ed is counter cyclical so take of that what you may. Impressive that foreign enrollments aren’t hit as bad as in some states.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
ISU’s total headcount (Table 6) showed 20,989 in Fall ‘23-’24; 22,036 in Fall ‘24-’25; and 21,981 in Fall ‘25-’26.
It has always had a good reputation for Education majors and seems to be holding its own. Considering the classroom climate and other challenges for teachers, those numbers are decent.
(ISU grad BSci ‘73, MS ‘82)
- 47th Ward - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
I haven’t looked at the data, but I seem to recall that ISU’s typical enrollment has historically varied between 20,000 and 22,000 students each year. Unless they are planning to build more dorms, I think 22,000 is close to the ceiling.
- Grimlock - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
Perhaps WIU should consider a long-term plan of gradually shifting the main campus to the QC? There is very little to attract students to Macomb and many in that town have always resented the college kids being there. The QC doesn’t have as much to offer as Chicago, but certainly much more than Macomb.
- Incandenza - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:16 pm:
== Perhaps WIU should consider a long-term plan of gradually shifting the main campus to the QC? ==
The Macomb campus has had some recent investment, including the new performing arts center that is being built. Macomb also has an Amtrak route to Chicago (whereas QC doesn’t). I don’t think abandoning the campus would help.
- Steve - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:28 pm:
-Higher ed is counter cyclical so take of that what you may-
The 2008 recession babies that weren’t born will now have an impact on college admissions in the coming years.
- Stix Hix - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:29 pm:
…and the town (Macomb) offers little to do (not that Charleston is a thriving metro either)….
My undergrad college town was worse than either of these, but back then it wasn’t a big deal. We were too busy studying Greek and Latin. And having sex.
- OneMan - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:31 pm:
It will be interesting to see whether NIU’s numbers continue to improve. I would have liked to have seen the ethnicity/gender breakdown by school.
- JS Mill - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
=It has always had a good reputation for Education majors and seems to be holding its own. Considering the classroom climate and other challenges for teachers, those numbers are decent.=
We are fairly close to NIU but recruit heavily from ISU’s Education program. Their teacher preparation is the best in the state in my opinion.
- Grimlock - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:38 pm:
Incandenza - A QC to Chicago Amtrak route is in the works.
- B Jean - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:41 pm:
ISU is reporting different numbers. Could depend on what day you look at the headcount.
https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2025/09/illinois-state-university-continues-strategic-enrollment-growth/
- Ryan - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 2:44 pm:
Flatlining is fine at ISU. Can’t handle much more than what is enrolled.
- Archpundit - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 3:01 pm:
==Their teacher preparation is the best in the state in my opinion.
Good to hear as I grew up around the program. My Mom was the business manager for the college of ed for years at the end of her career and had friends who were faculty kids.
- Annonin' - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 3:48 pm:
If one clicks the study and the chart they learn TX( the current America Garden of Eden) has more bailouts the IL.
Texas 19,538 38,282 (leavers) 8.11% 85.25% 0.51 _ Far
- former southerner - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 3:49 pm:
The College of Engineering at Illinois State University should have a significant impact upon enrollment in the coming years. It admitted its first students this year but its new building won’t be ready until Fall 2026 so it is very much in its infancy.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 3:55 pm:
Also, FWIW, if ISU is holding the line on enrollment by being more selective, then that should boost its academic reputation.
When I attended a million years ago, all you had to do to get in at ISU was open the front door. Today? I don’t know if I’d be accepted.
When I was an undergrad, we used to say ISU was twice as much fun as SIU, but only half the drive.
- Archpundit - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 4:21 pm:
==Also, FWIW, if ISU is holding the line on enrollment by being more selective, then that should boost its academic reputation.
Yeah, but was it ISNU then? My Dad was one of the last classes to get ISNU degrees. Also, your comment about dorms is another example of how much has changed. They’ve torn some down as more students live in apartments.
- City Zen - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 4:37 pm:
==TX( the current America Garden of Eden) has more bailouts the IL==
TX net migration of -19,838 isn’t as bad as IL net migration of -18,324 when you take into account TX population is about 2.5x greater than IL.
Percent enrolled in the state or jurisdiction who are
residents of the same state or jurisdiction:
IL = 80%
TX = 92%
Don’t worry, New Jersey still leads the country in worst net migration for college students and will forever due to their proximity to the very good schools in bordering NY and PA.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 4:46 pm:
I graduated in 1988, well after your dad. I’m old, but not that old. Lol.
And yes, I am aware that dorms have been removed, particularly the ones west of the business school. When I was there, all freshmen and sophomores were required to live in the dorms. Maybe that changed. I haven’t kept up.
I do have anecdotal reports that admission standards have been increased since my time. That was the point I was trying to make, that ISU has intentionally become more selective.
- Archpundit - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 4:59 pm:
===That was the point I was trying to make, that ISU has intentionally become more selective.
Oh, you are right. The improvement in selectivity had started by the time you were there, but has continued.
And I was pretty sure you weren’t back in the ISNU days. Not sure on the requirements on living in dorms–townies always had ways around it if they wanted.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 5:13 pm:
The people saying there’s nothing to do in Macomb have never been to Jackson Street Pub.
- Enemy of the State - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 5:46 pm:
All those students leaving Texas are football players filling the rosters of the Plains and SEC schools.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 6:18 pm:
People are voting with their feet and don’t want the product WIU is selling. Price? Quality? Location? What is the value of a WIU degree these days?
Not knocking WIU but they are in bad shape.
- Amurica - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 6:47 pm:
WIU is a perfect college for anyone looking for a smaller experience. They need to revamp and market as a small public to compare to privates and they have national ranked programs to offer that they should focus on.
- H-W - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 8:10 pm:
As I shared last week, it is easy to see why people go elsewhere. The state has deferred our maintenance for over a decade. Closer to two. Parents will not send their kids to campuses that allowed to fall apart. Broken blue lights. Entire floors without bathrooms. No water fountains. Etc. We need repairs openly. It is hard to sell a campus like ours if the state has abandoned our request for maintenance. Give us the infrastructure, and we can sell ourselves.
- Mr. Middleground - Monday, Nov 17, 25 @ 8:26 pm:
WIU’s numbers were not helped by three rounds of layoffs last year to right size campus spending and headcount—that makes last year a very tough year to recruit. We will see what happens in this year. But the Governor needs to step up his commitment to the directionals—particularly with deferred maintenance.
- Macomb - Tuesday, Nov 18, 25 @ 9:52 pm:
Two-thirds of WIU’s QC campus is for sale. It’s being consolidated from three buildings down to one.