Fall census shows growth in overall enrollment at Radford University

Radford University experienced year-over-year growth for the first time since 2019, as fall 2024 preliminary census figures captured on Sept. 9 revealed a total of 7,686 total students, an increase over fall 2023's headcount.

On the main campus, undergraduate, in-person student totals jumped to 5,059, 396 more students than fall 2023, and the 5,927 combined undergraduate and graduate students enrolled represent an increase of 6% over last fall's headcount.

New student growth is the primary driver of Radford's higher enrollment totals, as the university made significant strides to add both new freshman and new transfer students. In addition, targeted local recruitment at local high schools and stronger transfer pathways from regional Virginia Community College System (VCCS) institutions helped fuel growth.

At all locations, 1,414 new freshmen were enrolled, the university's largest total since 2019, and 723 new transfers marked the university's most in a single year since fall 2013.

Retention rates across the university jumped significantly for a second straight year. New freshmen retention, which saw a fall-to-fall increase of 4.3% last year, rose again by another 2.9% to reach the university's highest rate since fall 2016. The overall retention and graduation rate is 86.6%, a five-year high.

Radford University Carilion in Roanoke welcomed 1,003 new and returning students this fall, including 587 undergraduate students and 416 graduate students.

At preliminary census capture 479 students are enrolled in Radford's online Fast Track programs, which include three graduate degrees and the RN to BSN degree; that number is expected to grow during the fall semester. An additional 277 students are enrolled in competency-based education programs (CBE) administered by the Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab. Radford is Virginia's only four-year public institution to offer CBE programs for working professionals.