ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — SUNY colleges and universities saw an enrollment increase for the second year in a row, marking the first back-to-back rise in 15 years. Enrollment grew 2.3% across the system in the Fall 2024 term—totaling around 375,000 new SUNY students. First-year undergraduate enrollment also rose by 0.9%, bucking a national downward trend of 5%, partly due to FAFSA issues. You can read all of the enrollment numbers at the bottom of this story, including the following increases: State-operated campuses: +2.7% Doctoral institutions: +2.2% Comprehensive colleges: +2.7% Technology colleges: +5.0% Community colleges: +1.9% New York spent $873M on student financial aid in 2023-2024 school year From Fall 2022 to Fall 2024, SUNY-wide enrollment grew by 3.4%. SUNY Delhi, SUNY Morrisville, and Niagara County Community College reported the largest enrollment gains, while Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia saw decreases. Still, although enrollment has grown steadily since 2022's 10-year low, numbers have gradually declined overall since 2014. Diversity among the SUNY student body also grew, even with the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting race-conscious admissions. Pell recipients—students from low-income backgrounds—rose from 46.7% to 49.7% between 2023 and 2024. Students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups increased from 35.7% to 36.5% overall. Unused summer EBT benefits start expiring in November Specifically, Hispanic/Latino students made up 16.6% of enrollment in 2024, up from 10.8% in 2014, while Asian students represent 8.6%, up from 5.3%. The share of white students decreased from 59.6% in 2014 to 49.1% in 2024. First-time undergraduate students also show these shifts, with Hispanic/Latino enrollment rising from 13.5% to 20.1% over the same period. Judge strikes down New York Voting Rights Act, citing equal protection concerns State campuses also ranked well in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges, with Stony Brook University, Binghamton University, UAlbany, and the University at Buffalo among the top universities, and SUNY Farmingdale, SUNY Canton, Alfred State, and SUNY New Paltz leading among regional colleges. Gov. Kathy Hochul credited SUNY's enrollment growth to $277 million in state funding aimed at student success. This included $8 million for community colleges, with $5 million for healthcare training and the other $3 million targeting mental health. Her Top 10% Promise program will also offer automatic admission to top high school graduates starting in 2025, aiming to keep high-achieving students in New York. Despite reforms, New York faces childcare cost crisis Applications for Fall 2025 are open through ApplySUNY or the Common App. Take a look at the numbers from SUNY's Data Warehouse below: 2024-SUNY-Fall-EnrollmentDownload Senate Judiciary Republican ‘absolutely’ wants to see Ethics report on Gaetz How does the Senate confirmation process work? SUNY enrollment rises for second consecutive year Oakland airport ordered to stop using its new name Why is Thanksgiving so late this year?