Largest Freshman Class Heralds Uninterrupted 13-Year Growth Streak

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 2, 2026) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, recently ranked the nation’s No. 1 public historically Black college or university (HBCU) by Forbes, has enrolled the largest freshman class in its history, extending an uninterrupted 13-year period of enrollment growth and further demonstrating the increasing demand for an A&T education.

An estimated 15,700 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled this fall, including more than 800 transfer students and a record 3,214 first-year students. The incoming freshman class enters A&T with an approximate 3.7 GPA, underscoring that the university’s continued growth is occurring alongside strong academic quality.

The enrollment milestone comes as A&T continues to strengthen student outcomes. The university established new high marks in retention and graduation rates during the 2025-26 academic year, including a first-year retention rate of 81.2%. More than 3,200 students graduated from A&T last academic year- the largest number in university history.

Together, the university’s record enrollment, academic profile, retention and graduation outcomes point to a broader story: More students are choosing A&T, more are persisting toward their degrees and more are graduating prepared to contribute to the workforce, their communities and the economy.

“Student success is our top priority, campus-wide, and our success in that arena enables us to continue to grow graduation, our university’s most important outcome,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “The big numbers we’re posting this fall are significant because they represent more students whom we can educate, graduate and prepare to contribute to the continued success of North Carolina and beyond. We’re delighted that so many talented students have chosen to make Aggieland their academic home.”

Growing National Stature and Workforce Impact

The university’s growth comes amid increasing national recognition of the quality and impact of an A&T education. Forbes recently named A&T the No. 1 public HBCU in America in its inaugural HBCU rankings.

A&T is also one of America’s top 10 producers of Black graduates in 24 disciplines, positioning the university as an important source of educated talent for employers and industries across North Carolina and the nation.

Those outcomes are particularly significant as employers confront growing workforce needs in areas closely aligned with A&T’s academic strengths, including engineering, health care, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, agriculture, business and other STEM-related fields.

All of A&T’s colleges experienced enrollment growth this fall. The university’s largest, the John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences, became A&T’s first college to exceed 3,000 students. The college offers 13-degree programs in areas including nursing, physician assistant studies, Doctor of Nursing Practice and psychology.

Expanding as a Doctoral Research University

Growth is also accelerating at the graduate and doctoral levels as A&T advances its research enterprise and continues its pursuit of Carnegie Classification as a Research 1 institution — the designation for universities with very high research spending and doctorate production.

The Graduate College, which surpassed 2,000 students for the first-time last year, continued to expand this fall, with much of that growth driven by doctoral programs. Expanding doctoral education is central to A&T’s continued evolution as a leading doctoral research university and to developing the advanced talent required by an increasingly knowledge-driven economy.

“These enrollment milestones reflect more than growth in numbers. They reflect growing confidence in the value of an N.C. A&T education,” said Andrew P. Daire, provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “As we welcome our largest freshman class ever, we remain committed to student success, academic innovation and expanding access to learning opportunities. From first-year students to lifelong learners, A&T is creating pathways that empower people to grow, lead and make a difference throughout their lives.”

Academic Innovation Responding to Workforce Demand

As enrollment grows, A&T continues to expand and redesign academic offerings to meet evolving student and workforce needs.

The university’s Ph.D. in criminal justice, launched last year, added a concentration in digital forensics this fall. Graduates will be prepared for high-demand opportunities in cybersecurity, online criminal investigations, artificial intelligence and related fields.

The Hairston College recently received University of North Carolina System approval to develop a 90-credit-hour bachelor’s degree program. While most bachelor’s degree programs require 100 to 120 credit hours, the new program is being designed to prepare graduates for non-clinical health care roles while responding to the large and growing demand for health professionals.

A&T’s Flight Path programs, part of the statewide Project Kitty Hawk initiative, are entering their second year. The programs provide working adults who have some college credit but no degree with opportunities to complete workforce-aligned bachelor’s degrees and certificates through condensed eight-week academic terms. A&T offers Flight Path bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice, liberal studies and political science, as well as an online MBA with a human resources concentration.

The university’s Forever Learning initiative also continues to expand, providing flexible and relevant educational experiences for individuals, families, professionals and communities. The initiative reflects a core A&T philosophy that education is not confined to a single stage of life, but is a lifelong pursuit that helps individuals remain competitive, curious and prepared for changing workforce and societal needs.

A&T’s continued growth reflects the convergence of student demand, academic quality, student success, workforce relevance and research ambition, strengthening the university’s impact on North Carolina and its growing national leadership in higher education.