Sac State Breaks Enrollment Record Amid Mostly Virtual Fall Semester

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – For the first full semester of virtual learning amid the coronavirus pandemic, Sacramento State announced the university set an enrollment record in the fall.

A total of 31,510 students registered for classes, marking a 1% increase over the previous year, university spokesperson Anita Fitzhugh said in a news release.

Sac State also managed to retain about 84% of first-year students and over 90% of transfer students. And nearly all students are engaging in classes from home, with only a few classes requiring in-person instruction allowed to operate on campus.

"These gains clearly demonstrate that an increasing number of Sac State students are steadily engaging in their studies and advancing toward a timely graduation," said James Dragna, executive director for University Initiatives and Student Success.

The university, which compared its data to nationwide statistics gathered in a study from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, said its enrollment numbers are among a select number of universities going against enrollment trends. The study estimates that undergraduate enrollments across the country are down by an average of 2.5%.