Increase driven by 34% rise in new freshmen
New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) is proud to announce an increase in student enrollment for Fall 2025 across on-campus and online platforms. Overall undergraduate enrollment increased by 4% compared with Fall 2024. The growth is driven by a 34% rise in new freshmen and a 22% increase in transfer students, which means an overall new undergraduate increase of 28%.
Total enrollment for Fall 2025 stands at 2,741 students, reflecting the university’s ongoing mission to expand access to higher education while building a diverse and dynamic learning community.
NMHU President Neil Woolf explained: “Our focus remains on creating pathways for success for every student. The recent enrollment increase demonstrates that our strategies are making a real difference in the lives of our students and the future of NMHU.”
Woolf also acknowledges the important role of state support in expanding access and affordability to a college education. New Mexico’s Opportunity Scholarship is a key component in helping manage rising college costs, complementing NMHU’s programs and services, and contributing to NMHU’s ability to attract students who value a high-quality, comprehensive college experience.
In the School of Business, undergraduate enrollment climbed 16%, marking it as one of the fastest-growing programs on campus. Full-time enrollment also rose, now constituting 62% of the student body, which is a four percent increase from last year.
Benito Pacheco, Associate Vice-President of Student Enrollment Management, was particularly pleased with the growth of full-time students. Pacheco said: “Full-time students are more likely to persist and graduate on time, and NMHU supports that success through our academic programs and student services. This directly advances our goals of enrollment, retention, and graduation.”
President Woolf was also pleased with the general increase across different student groups: “We are also seeing an increase in international and out-of-state students, which enriches the university’s learning community and broadens access to NMHU’s programs and experiences.”