The University saw growth in the early 2010s, culminating in the all-time high enrollment of 8,790 in 2015. But enrollment declined as a result of smaller incoming class sizes, lower retention rates, and increased graduation rates as part of the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025. The COVID-19 pandemic also is believed to have affected enrollment in the last several years.
Some Fall enrollment highlights:
- At 5,858, total enrollment is up 2% compared to last year.
- 961 first-time undergraduates are enrolled, an increase of 52.8% compared to last year.
- 772 new transfers have enrolled, an increase of 6% compared to last year.
- 379 Masters degree students are enrolled, an increase of 3.8% compared to last year.
- First-year retention is currently at 74.1 percent, slightly above last year’s of 73.7%.
Find more enrollment information online.
Humboldt’s Enrollment Management team, faculty, and others continue to partner to increase recruitment and outreach to community colleges and high schools.
Admissions continues to work on initiatives that support transfer students through the “transfer+” model, which engages continuing transfer students with incoming transfer students, all seeking to respond to the trends in community college enrollment across the state.
Cal Poly Humboldt expects to see enrollment increase 50% within three years and 100% within seven years, immediately adding highly educated and trained graduates to the California workforce.
Read about additional efforts underway to increase enrollment.