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UNA's Enrollment Breaks Records, tops 8,800 Students for First Time

Nov. 01, 2021



Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, AL - Enrollment at the University of North Alabama has broken all previous enrollment records set at the institution as it tops 8,800 students for Fall 2021. This marks the 11th consecutive term of record enrollment, and it sets UNA apart from other universities in Alabama, making it by far the fastest-growing university in the state.

“Thanks to the hard work of many on campus to achieve this milestone, we can say with assurance that the University of North Alabama is no longer the best-kept secret among higher education institutions in Alabama,” said UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts. “The UNA brand is strong – thriving, even – in a challenging environment, and this is a significant occasion in our history.”

Among the top reasons for this five percent growth in enrollment for Fall 2021 are:

  • A nine percent increase in first-time, full-time freshmen on campus;

  • UNA’s distinction as Alabama’s Workforce Development University, with an increased programmatic focus on Computer Science and Information Systems, Engineering, Business Administration, Nursing and Health Professions, Social Work, and Elementary Education;

  • Growth in the Delores and Weldon Cole Honors College, now with more than 635 members;

  • A robust return of international students to the UNA campus; and

  • North Alabama Online regional, national, and international brand resonance.

“UNA’s record enrollment for the 11th straight term – in stark contrast to statewide, regional, and national enrollment declines – is laudable, distinct, and noteworthy. It’s a testament to the quality of our on-campus, online, and workforce-focused programs that lead directly to good jobs and career advancement,” said Dr. Ross Alexander, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Firmly established as the ‘first choice’ institution of myriad students regionally, nationally, and internationally, UNA has been appropriately recognized as the fastest- growing university in the State of Alabama”

In addition to the record-breaking enrollment, UNA has also experienced a record six-year graduation rate, which places the institution well among its aspirational peers in higher education across the United States.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.