Winthrop brought in its highest enrollment this fall since before the pandemic with a total count of nearly 5,300 students.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University brought in its highest enrollment this fall since before the pandemic with a total count of nearly 5,300 students.
Winthrop President Edward Serna ’02 said the university’s entering class is one of the largest in school history with 1,014 students.
“Winthrop continues to appeal to more and more students looking for an exceptional university experience which meets them where they are,” said Serna. “Strong student success outcomes remain a leading reason why students and families choose Winthrop. Our enrollment reflects the depth of the relationship-rich academic and student life experiences provided here.”
Serna credits several additional reasons for the substantial enrollment increase, including new innovative academic offerings, a more competitive merit-based scholarship program, a focus on student experiences through programs such as the new Honors College and a multi-year tuition transparency initiative.
“We understand the concerns many have about the rising cost of higher education, especially in today’s economic climate. That’s why we’ve been proactive in ensuring our tuition and fees reflect our commitment to both quality and affordability,” Serna said. “That clearly has resonated with students and their families.”
The interest has created enrollment increases in several areas, including:
*A 13 percent increase in new freshmen from fall 2024 to this fall, from 901 to 1,014.
*An 11 percent increase in new transfers in the past year from 315 to 350.
*A 12 percent increase in total enrollment over the last three years, from fall 2022 to fall 2025, from 4,712 to 5,287 students, putting Winthrop over the 5,000 total enrollment threshold for the first time in years.
The enrollment numbers were made official on Oct. 1.
Joseph Miller, vice president for enrollment management and marketing, added: “Winthrop continues to deliver a highly rated, top-tier higher education experience to our students while also being affordable and accessible. We have received several third-party endorsements this fall that commend our academic rigor, student experiences and affordability. We are thrilled that more and more students and families are choosing Winthrop.”
U.S. News & World Report recently included Winthrop in its Top 10 ranking of Public Regional Universities in the South in its latest edition of “Best Colleges.” Winthrop remains a top university in the South for veterans, social mobility and for affordability, according to the 2026 rankings. The university also was recognized in August by Money Magazine’s Best Colleges in America 2025 and in September was recognized as one of The Princeton Review’s “Best Regional Colleges 2026.”
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at longshawj@winthrop.edu or at 803/323-2404.
