- The Utah System of Higher Education reported system-wide enrollment of 216,117 students for 2025-26.
- Degrees and certificates awarded increased 26% since 2021, with 71,262 certificates and degrees.
- Key fields include nursing, psychology and business, aligning with Utah's economic needs.
SALT LAKE CITY — Enrollment is growing across institutions under the Utah System of Higher Education umbrella, according to recently released data.
For the 2025-26 school year, enrollment across Utah's public higher education institutions reached 216,117 students, up from 207,005 during the 2024-25 school year.
Here's a look at how the enrollment numbers shook out for all eight institutions:
- Salt Lake Community College: 31,473 in 2025-26 compared to 27,437 last year.
- Snow College: 5,561 in 2025-26 compared to 5,577 last year.
- Southern Utah University: 15,825 in 2025-26 compared to 15,444 last year.
- University of Utah: 38,257 in 2025-26 compared to 36,970 last year.
- Utah State University: 29,831 in 2025-26 compared to 28,900 last year.
- Utah Tech University: 13,207 in 2025-26 compared to 13,167 last year.
- Utah Valley University: 48,670 in 2025-26 compared to 46,809 last year.
- Weber State University: 33,293 in 2025-26 compared to 32,701 last year.
"People still recognize that higher education is a good value and is still a pathway to better economic opportunities, better career opportunities, and that's good for Utah," said Geoffrey Landward, state commissioner of higher education. "That's good for Utah families, and so I'm thrilled to see that people still recognize that."
Still, Landward said enrollment numbers — which have steadily climbed over the past five years — aren't the most important metric.
"Enrollment growth by itself is not a determiner of success in our view. It is only successful if that enrollment turns into graduations and completions. That's why we're so focused on those completion numbers, and I just can't emphasize that enough. Enrollment is only the beginning. Completion is the success," Landward said.
On that note, the system of higher education last week also reported a record-breaking increase in degrees and certificates awarded for the 2025 academic year, something Landward described as being a "paramount priority."
Systemwide, system of higher education institutions awarded 61,265 graduates with 71,262 certificates and degrees — a 26% increase in awards and 22% increase in graduates since 2021.
"These numbers show ... that more and more people are graduating with a certificate or degree than ever before, and that's the most important measure for all of our institutions," Landward said.
He's also encouraged by the career fields certificates and degrees are being awarded in.
The top certificate fields by number of graduates, in order, are nursing assistant/aide, truck/bus driving, EMT paramedic, electrician and phlebotomy.
The top bachelor's degree fields, in order, are registered nursing, psychology, business administration and management, finance and computer science.
This, he said, tracks with strategic reinvestments under HB265, which directs Utah System of Higher Education institutions to reallocate resources toward high-impact programs.
"I think that it's important, as a public system of higher education that's funded in large part by taxpayer funds, that we're making sure we understand what Utah needs, what its economy needs, in terms of the work that is going to feed this economy, and that we're being responsive to those needs," Landward said.
"What I'm seeing with the bachelor's degrees and certificates that we're seeing increases in completion in is that those are in areas that we know are areas of growth and demand for the state. That shows that we're being more responsive to the needs of the state and to the needs of the individuals who are enrolling in our institutions. And we want to continue to see that growth," he said.
