NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Spring 2026 enrollment shows modest growth over last year and strong retention rates for freshmen. The university reports an undergraduate headcount of 6,913 students and 849 graduate and professional students bringing the Spring 2026 total to 7,762. The numbers include all of NSU’s campuses in Natchitoches, Alexandria, Leesville/Fort Polk, Barksdale AFB in Bossier City and eNSU online.
“These encouraging numbers reflect the university’s personalized approach to assisting students,” said NSU President James Genovese. “Our faculty and staff in Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management and advising units go above and beyond to assist students to make this progress possible. Increased recruiting and marketing initiatives also play a role in positive trends. This proves we are moving the needle upward at NSU.”
Freshmen retention from Fall 2025 to Spring 2026 is over 87 percent. This year’s freshmen class includes over 1,100 students who enrolled with more than $8 million in scholarships and TOPS awards. The class’s average ACT score was 21.27 and average grade point average was 3.43, both an increase over the previous year, according to director of Enrollment Van Erikson. Retention of last year’s freshmen class has also risen to 70 percent.
A new area of focus, Erikson said, is Spring first-time entering freshmen who started in January. That number jumped almost 40 percent this semester.
Dual enrollment has also increased with 2,058 students taking NSU courses to earn college credits that are applied to both their high school and college transcripts. Dual enrollment saves time and money for students who pursue bachelor’s degrees, often extending their TOPS eligibility towards application to a master’s or other post-bachelor’s degree. NSU began awarding associate degrees to eligible high school students in 2016.
Northwestern State’s Office of Electronic Learning and Global Engagement reports an uptick in enrollment among adult learners, specifically in the number of students 25 or older enrolling as entering freshmen, which doubled from Spring 2025 to Spring 2026. Those students are mostly interested in general studies, nursing and radiology programs, which have shown not only growth in enrollment but in inquiries and requests for information.
NSU students represent 63 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, 45 states outside Louisiana and 47 foreign countries.
The academic year began with the opening of Robert Alost Hall, the 73,200-square-foot academic building that features large multipurpose and multifunctional classrooms, simulation labs for nursing and anesthesia programs, a social work/psychology clinic and training area, a café, a dozen 30-person classrooms, two 40-person classrooms and three 50-person classrooms.
Genovese said prospective students – both traditional and non-traditional – recognize the value of attending NSU for its strong value proposition, small class sizes and opportunities for social engagement, service-learning and leadership development.
“NSU offers the best education for the price of any school in the region,” Genovese said. “With our small student-to-professor ratio, market-responsive degree programs and enriching student experience, Northwestern is a leader in preparing students for careers and for life.”
A 2025 economic impact study showed that Northwestern State University creates value from multiple perspectives for the university’s 10-parish service region. The study sets the university’s total economic impact at $497.1 million with the school supporting 7,001 jobs.
Students see a high rate of return for their investment in NSU. The average bachelor’s degree from NSU will see an increase in earnings of $21,900 each year compared to a person with a high school diploma or equivalent working in Louisiana. From a taxpayer perspective, for every dollar invested in NSU, taxpayers will receive a cumulative value of $1.60 over the course of the students’ working lives.
Alumni engagement has also increased. Last fall’s Proud to Be Purple campaign played a role in boosting school spirit and strengthening community partnerships through visual displays of support.
NSU administrators have been proactive in pursuing grants and industry partnerships to address needs in the university’s service region.
NSU’s College of Nursing utilized a four-year $1.8 million grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation (Louisiana Blue Foundation) to address the critical healthcare workforce shortage in northwest and central Louisiana. The grant offered financial support to individuals enrolled in an accelerated nursing program that was tailored to students who were already registered paramedics or military medics and individuals with a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduates of that program are now providing care in rural and underserved communities across the region.
Last November, NSU announced that BOM Bank will be the anchor tenant of The CoLab, a collaborative workspace within the Innovation Park being developed in partnership with Northwestern State University and the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts. The CoLab will be designed to connect business and industry partners with students, entrepreneurs and community members, according to developers.
“Northwestern State is poised for growth,” Genovese said. “Staff and administrators have identified key aspects in removing barriers to assist students in persisting through each year of their college experience, and we continue to be responsive to the support structures our students need in order to be successful.”
N-Side View, a preview day for high school students, is set for Saturday, Feb. 28. At N-Side View, students and parents can tour campus, meet faculty and staff, explore academic majors, learn about admissions and financial aid and take placement tests. Registration is available at www.nsu.la/nsideview.