MoWest: official enrollment numbers increase for first time in 8 years

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Missouri Western State University announced its official fall semester enrollment and noted an increase since 2018.

MoWest said 3,711 students are enrolled for the fall semester, a 1% increase over fall 2025.

"In the current higher education environment, any increase in enrollment is a cause for celebration, and I congratulate our faculty, staff and students for all that they have done to make MoWest a destination of choice for recent high school graduates and transfer students," MoWest president Lenny Klaver said. "This number establishes a strong baseline, and I'm positive that as we continue to focus on our students and their needs, more and more students and parents will see that we genuinely care about their goals and aspirations."

With the increase, the university is seeing a 9% jump in new undergraduate students, a 9.7% increase in new first-time students and a 7.2% increase in new transfer students.

MoWest also saw an increase in retention rates for current students, up 2% compared to 2023 for undergraduate students, 5% for first-year students, 7% for transfer students and 5% for graduate students.

The university also said several of its programs have seen growth over the last year.

Physical Therapist Assistant sits at 46%, Supply Chain Management at 45%, Manufacturing Engineering Technology at 26%, Applied Communication and Journalism at 25% and Secondary Education at 19%.

With graduate programs, the Master of Business Administration grew 15% and the Master of Social Work grew 9%.

In addition, MoWest is helping high school students get college credit before graduation.

Enrollment in MoWest's Early College Academy is up 7.2% compared to last fall, and the total credit hours sought by students is up 13%.