North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has surpassed 15,000 students this fall, marking the largest enrollment in its history and extending its reign as the nation’s biggest public historically Black university.
The university reported a total of 15,275 students, nearly 1,000 more than last year, reflecting a 6.7% increase. It is the 12th consecutive year A&T has led all HBCUs in size, and the fourth year in a row it has been the largest such institution ever.
“The 2025-26 student body
reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU, and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II.Growth was evident across nearly every area. In-state enrollment climbed by 849 students, a 9.3% increase that aligns with A&T’s land-grant mission. The Graduate College surpassed 2,000 students for the first time, with doctoral enrollment increasing by more than 23%. Transfer students jumped 17%, with 814 newcomers this fall, while international enrollment rose 10.3%, bringing nearly 1,000 students from abroad, with almost half from Africa.
First-year students also continue to arrive at North Carolina A&T with strong academic credentials. The fall’s 3,021 freshmen held an average GPA of 3.7, while out-of-state freshmen averaged 3.93. Students now come from 36 states, Washington, D.C., and 103 countries.
According to NCAT, retention is another area of progress: 81% of last year’s freshmen returned as sophomores, the highest rate in school history.
A&T officials point to the school’s value as a major draw. Graduates earn some of the strongest salaries in the UNC System, with Forbes estimating median pay of $112,000 a decade after graduation. Students also benefit from some of the largest career fairs in the nation.
“As interest in A&T continues to grow, our team of enrollment professionals remains dedicated to finding the best and brightest students from North Carolina and beyond,” said Joseph Montgomery, associate vice provost for Enrollment Management. “We will continue to review all applicants carefully, intentionally, and through a comprehensive, holistic process.”
Chancellor Martin called the growth humbling, adding: “North Carolina A&T is setting a national standard as a land-grant HBCU and model for what it means to be a public university in this new millennium.”
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