Morgan State University in Baltimore is now the third largest HCBU in the nation, with nearly 11,000 students enrolled this fall.Morgan submitted figures to the Maryland Higher Education Commission that put its total enrollment at 10,739 students for Fall 2024, a 9.4 percent increase over the previous year. It attracted its largest freshman class ever with 2,369 new students, up four percent from 2023. It also achieved the highest graduate school enrollment in its history, with 1,712 students pursuing advanced degrees.This is the fourth consecutive year of record first-year student growth and overall student enrollment at Morgan. Also for a fourth consecutive year, more than 50 percent of the new undergraduate students who chose Morgan came from states other than Maryland. The 2024 figure was 51 percent. In all, 53 percent of Morgan’s students (including both graduate and undergraduate students) came from Maryland.As a result of the latest figures, Morgan is now the third-largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in the nation. The only HBCUs with more students enrolled this fall are: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, with more than 14,000 students, and Howard University in Washington, D.C., with more than 13,000 students.As recently as mid-2023, Morgan ranked fifth in a survey by HBCULifestyle.com, which covers HBCUs. In that ranking, which came out in June of that year, Morgan was behind North Carolina A&T State University; Howard University; Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, with 9,400 students; and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, with 9,000 students. For its survey, HBCULifestyle.com used a figure for Morgan of 8,469 students, which did not include final enrollment numbers for Fall 2023.Other large HBCUs, according to HBCULifestyle.com, include: Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.; Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee; North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina; Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas; and Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.Administrators say Morgan received 24,414 applications for the fall semester, and 96 percent came from applicants to the freshman Class of 2028. Students enrolled in the freshman class come from 41 states and seven countries and boast an average high school grade-point average of 3.16.“Morgan’s record-breaking enrollment for Fall 2024 is a testament to the growing recognition of the transformative education and opportunities we offer,” said University President David Wilson, in a statement.“Achieving four consecutive years of record new student growth, alongside our highest-ever graduate school enrollment, speaks volumes about the dedication of our faculty, staff and alumni to making Morgan a premier destination for students nationwide and around the world,” he continued. “The enthusiasm reflected in the 24,000-plus applications we received underscores our mission’s impact and our brand’s strength. As we continue to break barriers and set new benchmarks, Morgan remains committed to empowering students to achieve academic excellence and make meaningful contributions to society.”With the latest numbers, Morgan has exceeded the predictions of the university’s own 10-year strategic plan, which anticipated enrollment of 10,000 students by 2030. Its enrollment also has grown faster than the national average. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. increased by 1.2% for Fall 2023, and graduate student enrollment increased by three percent during Spring 2024.“The consistent growth in enrollment at Morgan reflects a combination of strategic initiatives and our commitment to meeting the needs of today’s students,” said Kara Turner, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success at Morgan, in a statement.“Furthermore, our focus on affordability and the development of modernized campus facilities have played key roles in attracting students from across the nation and beyond,” she said. “This enrollment milestone is a testament to our university’s strategic planning and the unwavering dedication of our staff. Morgan’s achievement of surpassing its enrollment goals six years ahead of schedule speaks volumes about the relevance of our academic offerings and the strength of our mission to transform lives through education.”