Tennessee Higher Education Commission Announces Fall 2023 College Enrollment Data

For Immediate Release

Media Contact
Jessie Greene
Jessie.Greene@tn.gov
615-519-7730
Press Release

NASHVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today released the latest student enrollment data for the fall 2023 semester, indicating that 214,476 students across the state enrolled at community colleges and public universities for fall 2023. This represents an increase of 4,528 students, which is a 2.2% increase compared with fall 2022.

“More and more Tennesseans are eager to enroll in college to secure a thriving future,” said interim THEC Executive Director Dr. Steven Gentile. “We must build on this momentum year to ensure Tennesseans not only recognize the value of higher education but seize it.”

Last fall, THEC created “Momentum Year 2023” to renew and articulate the value of education in Tennessee and to increase enrollment in education and training beyond high school. The initiative, supported by college access partners and higher education stakeholders, saw several significant milestones, including an increased number of Tennessee Promise applicants and FAFSA-filing rates from the previous year.

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) reported that 72,289 students enrolled in community colleges this fall, with the system experiencing 2.8% growth in headcount over last year. The University of Tennessee (UT) system experienced the largest gains in enrollment, increasing 4.8% over last fall. Among locally governed institutions (LGIs), headcount increased the most at Austin Peay State University and Tennessee Tech University.

For more information about THEC’s research, data, and statewide higher education reports, please visit www.tn.gov/thec/research.

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The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.