Arizona State University reaches milestone enrollment

Enrolling more than 200,000 students this past year, ASU continues to redefine the opportunities a public university can create

TEMPE, Ariz., Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona State University enrolled more than 200,000 students during the 2025–26 school year, surpassing that enrollment milestone for the first time in university history.

ASU's growth reflects more than two decades of reimagining what a public university can be and who it can serve as learners increasingly seek education that fits career goals and family responsibilities and that prepares them for rapidly changing industries.

"It is clear that the mission that has guided ASU's transformation for more than two decades — measuring our success not by whom we exclude, but by whom we include and how they succeed — is an enduring model for how a top research university can be of greater service now and into the future," said ASU President Michael Crow.

Of the more than 200,000 students enrolled annually, over 119,300 are pursuing degrees through ASU Online, the largest online student body in university history. During the past decade alone, online enrollment has grown from 30,000 in 2015–16 to 119,300 in 2025–26 as more working adults, parents and military-connected learners have sought flexible pathways to earning a university degree.

ASU offers multiple start dates for students, with many online students joining later sessions offered in the fall, spring and summer semesters. The university began reporting total, annual enrollment in 2024 to include all students who enroll over the course of a year.

Beyond online education, the university has continued investing in campuses and locations for students who want in-person experiences. The university also offers in-person degree programs outside of the metro Phoenix area — ASU London launches this year with 320 students who will begin their experience with welcome events across London, including the Union Jack Classic on Sept. 19 as the Sun Devils face the University of Kansas at historic Wembley Stadium.

A driving force of ASU's academic growth is the university's desire to meet the needs of the state and nation. As Arizona experiences rapid growth in health care, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and other innovation-driven industries, the university continues expanding academic programs to meet workforce needs. This includes welcoming the inaugural class of John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering students this fall, in an effort to help prepare graduates for the more than 113,000 health care jobs that Arizona is projected to add by 2034.

As the workplace evolves, so do programs at ASU. The W. P. Carey School of Business is seeing more than 40% growth in new first-year students enrolling in the undergraduate AI in business degree program, signaling a growing understanding among students of the need for AI acumen in their careers.

The changing nature of higher education also means students increasingly engage with universities at multiple points throughout their lives. Last year, 10,733 students returned to ASU after stepping away from their studies for at least one semester, thanks to expanded university efforts to reconnect former students with pathways to degree completion. 

Other learners upskilled through ASU Learning Enterprise offerings, without pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. More than 275,000 learners registered for nondegree credentials during the past year, including certificates in project management, financial management, marketing and a growing portfolio of artificial intelligence skills.

A projected 158,000 students are enrolled at the start of the fall 2026 semester, studying either on campus or online. This fall enrollment marks a slight decline from fall 2025 (less than 1%) due to nationwide declines of international students.

"Although the overall campus enrollment is projected to fall slightly, this is due entirely to delays and visa denials that our admitted international students have faced," said Vice President of Enrollment Matt López. "We continue to see strong enrollments from across the country and within Arizona. This fall, more than 9,000 Arizonans will join ASU as first-year students, a reminder that as we keep our commitment to serve the educational needs of all qualified Arizona residents, the demand for an ASU degree remains high."

Among the students enrolled in the fall 2026 semester are a projected 11,500 international students representing 174 countries.

About ASU
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.

SOURCE Arizona State University - Media Relations