N.C A&T is First HBCU Ever to Enroll More Than 15,000 Students

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 10, 2025) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University enrollment crested over 15,000 this fall, driven by strong increases in student populations across the board, including North Carolina and out-of-state freshmen, transfer students and doctoral candidates, campus leaders announced today.

For the 12^th consecutive year, North Carolina A&T is the largest public historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the nation, as well as the largest such institution America has ever produced for the fourth consecutive year. The total enrollment of 15,275 – nearly 1,000 more students than last fall when enrollment was 14,311, making this the university’s biggest single year of growth – represents a jump of 6.7%.

Increasingly, North Carolina A&T’s exceptional academic programs and outstanding return on investment and outcomes along with an HBCU cultural experience second to none attract top students across the state and around the country. This fall’s entering first-year class of 3,021 students had an average GPA of 3.7; out-of-state freshmen entered with an average GPA of 3.93. Those new students come from 36 states plus Washington, D.C.

When they prepare for graduation in several years, they’ll benefit from some of the largest college career fairs in America and anticipate starting salaries that rank second in the University of North Carolina System. In fact, 10 years after graduation, an A&T bachelor’s degree earner commands a median salary of $112,000, according to Forbes.

“The 2025-26 student body reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “We embrace the opportunity to prepare them for a world undergoing seismic know

ledge and technology shifts and to guide their development as individuals, ready for lives of achievement and meaning.”

The university’s census report includes good news in numerous areas, most notably:

• North Carolina students. A&T enrolled 849 more North Carolina students this year than last – a jump of 9.3%. Most of that growth came from the entering first-year class. The increase aligns with A&T’s mission as a land-grant university: to provide high-quality higher education to the people of North Carolina.
• The Graduate College. More than 2,000 graduate students are enrolled at A&T for the first time in school history. The official headcount of 2,018 is 11.2% larger than last fall. Doctoral student enrollment, now 702, is up by 23.4%. The university’s growth in new master’s and doctoral degree programs over the past five years is surfacing strong student interest and paying significant enrollment dividends.
• Transfer students. Enrollment of transfer students rose by a welcome 17% this fall with 814 new students. Attracting transfer students has become an enrollment priority for A&T, particularly as admission for first-year students has become highly competitive. Community college represents a strong path toward eventual university enrollment for students with strong interest in A&T.
• The portion of students who progressed from freshman to sophomore year hit 81% this fall, representing the first time A&T has exceeded 80%. This is another focus area for A&T, which plans to continue pushing that number higher.
• International enrollment. Unlike many other universities across the country, A&T experienced growth in its international student population – a jump of 10.3%. A&T now has nearly 1,000 international students, including nearly 500 from African nations.
• Geographic diversity. This year’s student body includes students from 97 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, 43 states and 103 foreign nations.

“As interest in A&T continues to grow, our team of enrollment professionals remains dedicated to finding the best and brightest students from North Carolina and beyond for the class of 2030,” said Joseph Montgomery, associate vice provost for Enrollment Management. “We will continue to review all applicants carefully, intentionally, and through a comprehensive, holistic process that aims to identify students who will excel at A&T and become future leaders.”

“This is our 12^th consecutive year of growth, and we continue to be humbled and grateful for the faith that our students place in us to prepare them for lives of meaning and success,” said Martin. “North Carolina A&T is setting a national standard as a land-grant HBCU and model for what it means to be a public university in this new millennium.”