BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University marks its 125th year by enrolling 21,570 Mountaineer students in fall 2024, a 1.5% increase over last fall.

"Our steady growth is supported by intentionally managed enrollment at the Boone campus and significant growth in both the Hickory campus and App State Online student populations," App State Interim Chancellor Heather Norris announced.

Norris added, “At Appalachian State University, we are maintaining strong enrollment and positive return on investment for every North Carolina student. We remain focused on our commitment to student success — to retaining and graduating students who are prepared to make meaningful contributions to our state, nation and world — which has been a hallmark of our university since its inception.”

The university’s consistent growth helps support the myFutureNC goal of ensuring that 2 million North Carolinians will have a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030 that meets the demands of the state’s businesses and industries.

“We are working to ensure we’re responsive to changing enrollment demographics, the changing needs of students and the market demand,” said Norris.

Maintaining undergraduate enrollment and high retention, graduation rates

This fall, App State enrolls 19,560 undergraduate students at the Boone and Hickory campuses and online — its largest undergraduate student population to date. This population includes 4,038 new first-year students, as well as 6,221 first-generation students who constitute 32% of the total undergraduate student population at App State. A student is considered “first-generation” if neither parent has completed a bachelor’s degree.

App State’s student retention and graduation rates — two measurements commonly used in higher education to measure student success — remain strong and are some of the highest in the nation. The university’s overall 2024 first- to second-year retention rate — a primary performance indicator for institutions across the country — is 83.7%, well above the latest national average of 76.5%.

At 58%, which is 2.5% higher than last year, the university's four-year graduation rate continues to be nearly 70% above the national average.

“Four-year graduation rates continue to be a primary focus and a key indicator of student success in the future,” Norris said.

Nearly 113,000, or 75%, of App State’s living alumni are located within North Carolina, where they make lasting and impactful contributions to their respective communities. In fiscal year 2021–22, the increased earnings and productivity of App State alumni generated $140.7 million in added income for the regional economy (Watauga, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell and Wilkes counties), according to an economic impact study by labor analytics firm Lightcast. Statewide, the tens of thousands of App State grads employed across North Carolina generated $1.9 billion in added income.

Hickory campus enrollment grows by 41%

Mountaineer student enrollment at the App State Hickory campus grew by 41% from fall 2023 to fall 2024. For its second year of operation, the campus serves 511 students who are enrolled in Hickory campus courses. Of the Hickory student population, 294 are first-generation students and 346 are from North Carolina counties classified as rural by the state Department of Commerce.

App State Acting Provost Neva Specht has noted that the university is continually working to refine its degree program offerings in Hickory to better serve students, the Hickory community and all those who work at the campus.

“We want to make sure we have the majors that students want, and our goal is to ensure students can pick the best path of success for themselves,” she said. “Our offerings will be aligned with both the university’s Academic Affairs strategic plan and the needs in the Hickory market.”

For five consecutive years, the enrollment of students attending classes at App State’s Boone campus has fluctuated by less than 3% from year to year:

• Fall 2020: 18,510
• Fall 2021: 19,031
• Fall 2022: 18,684
• Fall 2023: 18,951
• Fall 2024: 18,601

“By employing the levers of online and Hickory enrollment, we were able to ensure enrollment reached an overall high while Boone enrollment decreased by 1.8%,” said Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management Troy Johnson.

5th consecutive year of App State Online enrollment growth

The university enrolls 2,517 students in App State Online programs — a 23.5% increase in online student enrollment since fall 2023. This academic year marks the fifth consecutive year that App State has experienced growth in online students, with these students representing 11.7% of the total student body at App State.

This spring, App State and Project Kitty Hawk (PKH), an ed tech nonprofit funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, signed an agreement that is helping remove barriers to educational access and increase career readiness and advancement, particularly for adult learners in North Carolina.

The university launched two PKH-supported undergraduate programs this fall, in health care management and in supply chain management. Three additional App State Online programs — bachelor’s degrees in accounting, criminal justice, and organizational leadership and learning — are in development and will come online in spring 2025.

Supporting students from rural NC counties

For this fall, 5,714 students from rural North Carolina counties are enrolled at App State, a 1% increase over last fall. These students represent 32.5% of the total population of in-state, degree-seeking undergraduate students at App State.

“As a rural-serving institution, App State is committed to increasing enrollment of students from the state’s rural populations and supporting their success,” said Johnson.

Developing partnerships for seamless transfer pathways

At App State, 5,160 transfer students are enrolled for fall 2024 — the largest transfer student population in university history.

In support of transfer students, App State has secured new and renewed agreements with 27 North Carolina community colleges through its Aspire Appalachian program, which provides a streamlined path for students enrolled at partner schools to complete their bachelor’s degrees at App State.

Johnson said the university’s Aspire collaborations are focused on easing the transition between schools, boosting degree completion rates and minimizing student loan debt. Additionally, he explained, “Aspire partnerships provide valuable insights into the workforce needs of North Carolina communities, creating opportunities for the university and the state’s community colleges to work together to graduate students who are prepared to fulfill in-demand roles.”

App State’s strong support of its transfer student population has earned the university the reputation of being one of the most transfer-friendly schools in the nation. For eight consecutive years, App State has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes four-year colleges and universities across the country for developing dynamic and innovative pathways that lead to success among community college transfer students. The degree completion rate for North Carolina community college students who transferred to App State is more than 22% above the national average.

Transfer students are supported through all stages of their App State education by the dedicated staff in Transfer Admissions and Engagement.

All numbers reported reflect App State’s fall 2024 census data as of Aug. 30. The University of North Carolina System Office determines the census date to be the 10th day of each fall and spring semester, by which all students should be registered for all of their courses for the semester.

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App State partners with Project Kitty Hawk to offer 5 streamlined App State Online programs in 2024–25

July 26, 2024

App State has partnered with Project Kitty Hawk, an ed tech nonprofit, to expand higher education access to millions of adult learners across NC. The university will launch five App State Online degree programs supported by the project in the 2024–25 academic year — all designed for working adults.

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History of App State

App State began as Watauga Academy, founded in 1899 by Dr. B.B. Dougherty, his brother D.D. Dougherty, and D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty. Classes for the academy’s 53 enrolled students began Sept. 5, 1899. This tiny academy quickly evolved into a school preparing quality teachers to serve our state and beyond. Building on this strong foundation, App State grew into a destination of choice for high-achieving, intellectually curious students wanting to be engaged in the community.

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Several national publications, including U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine, have named App State among the best schools in the nation — and the Southeast — for 2023–24, recognizing the university for its academics, innovation, value and more.

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Less college debt + more lifetime earnings = the App State advantage

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An App State education paves the way for higher wages and greater opportunities. Mountaineers graduate with lower student loan debt than their statewide and national peers and make median lifetime earnings of half a million more than North Carolinians without degrees.

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About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.