SUNY enrollments, including most on Long Island, rise for the second year in a row

Stony Brook University, Farmingdale State College and nearly every other SUNY college on Long Island have seen back-to-back years of rising enrollments, a sign of a rebound occurring in state schools after years of declining enrollment, state officials said Wednesday.

Overall, SUNY schools statewide saw enrollment gains for the second year in a row. Enrollment this fall ticked up 2.3% from the prior year, reaching a total of 376,155 in the system, according to a news release from Gov. Kathy Hochul. Enrollment a year ago rose 1.1%, the first increase in 15 years, the release said.

“As governor, I have remained committed to increasing access to our colleges and universities — from removing financial barriers and expanding our tuition assistance program to launching SUNY's first-ever direct admissions program,” Hochul said.

Growing numbers of first-year students helped with the rebound. Enrollment for first-year students rose by 0.9% this year over the prior one, bucking a national trend that showed a 5% decline in those students, stated the release, citing figures from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

SUNY spokeswoman Holly Liapis said the system's affordability played a role in the enrollment increase. She also said tuition will not increase as a result.

The state had added funding to public higher education over the last two years, and SUNY received additional $277 million annually. The state also boosted student aid through the Tuition Assistance Program, doubling the minimum award from $500 to $1,000, and raising the maximum income threshold from $80,000 to $125,000 for certain students, the release said.

LI SUNYs see increases

On Long Island, four of the five SUNY schools experienced bumps in enrollment over the past two years: Stony Brook University, SUNY Old Westbury, Farmingdale State College and Nassau Community College, state figures showed.

Suffolk County Community College, however, showed a 0.6% decrease in 2024 compared with the prior year, and a two-year decrease of 0.3%, figures said.

SCCC officials said SUNY’s report on the fall census data is accurate. However, when all student enrollments in all semesters are included, the college experienced modest enrollment growth over the past year, SCCC spokeswoman Mary Feder said in a statement.

"As a community college, we also continue to see growth in our workforce, continuing education, and English language programs, which is not included in SUNY’s traditional fall census," Feder's statement said.

Stony Brook saw a 3.2% increase in enrollment from 2023 to 2024, and 3.9% increase since fall 2022, the figures showed.

"Stony Brook University has increased our brand awareness across the United States and globally," said Mark Cortez, executive director of admissions. "This awareness is being built in part to our engagement with the New York Climate Exchange, our consistent national rankings, and academic and community experience that students receive when they attend."

Farmingdale State College had a 5.2% increase in 2024 and a two-year increase of 7.8%, figures showed.

“Key factors impacting our increased enrollment include a larger application pool, an expanded recruitment outreach and intentional prospect nurturing, new retention and persistence initiatives, and more faculty and campus partner interactions," said Rohan Howell, vice president for enrollment management.

The first-year factor

Old Westbury led the Island's SUNY schools with a 5.9% enrollment increase in 2024 and a two-year increase of 10.3%, state figures showed.

"This year’s record-breaking enrollment of first-year students is symbolic of the upward trend we’ve been experiencing in the post-pandemic era," said Bryan Terry, vice president of enrollment management and marketing.

Old Westbury added 803 first-year students to campus for fall 2024, the largest class of first-year students in the campus' history, he noted.

"Our academic community’s commitment to excellence, social justice, and student support has positioned us as a leading choice for students seeking a transformative education," Terry said.

For the first time in nearly a decade, SUNY's 30 community colleges got $8 million in additional Direct State Tax Support this year, which strengthened health care programs and mental health offerings on campuses, Hochul noted.

Community colleges were especially hard-hit by the pandemic, as many students come from lower-income households that suffered more than others during the health crisis, educators said.

Nassau Community College saw a 2.6% enrollment increase in 2024 and an overall two-year bump of 2.5%, the state figures said.

"The college’s robust course offerings in high-demand fields such as nursing, business, and culinary arts — among many others — has proven to be an appealing option for students seeking an affordable and comprehensive education," said Jerry Kornbluth, vice president for community and governmental relations.

By Craig Schneider

craig.schneider@newsday.comScraigo

Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.