MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University said its final census count shows 11-percent more freshmen this year.

Enrollment this fall is 6,593 students. The total headcount comprises 5,618 undergraduate students – an increase of 2.3 percent from last fall – and 975 graduate students.

The headcount includes 1,438 first-time freshmen, an 11 percent increase from last year’s freshman headcount, and 253 transfer students, which is up 4.5 percent from last fall. At the same time, 71.4 percent of Northwest’s fall 2014 first-time, full-time freshmen returned to the University – a percentage that is up from last fall and continues to place Northwest well above the national average.

“Northwest continues to be the university of choice for profession-based education, grounded in real-world and hands-on learning experiences,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “Our significant freshman enrollment increase combined with the overall increase in undergraduate enrollment are results of a variety of factors and actions – all tied to our strategic plan and strategic objectives.”

Compared to last year, Northwest has 127 fewer students in overall student population. The University attributes the slight dip in the overall headcount to a record graduating class of 945 students last spring in addition to intentionally decreasing graduate student headcount for select programs to ensure quality programming and student success.