LSUA Sets New Enrollment Record with 7,728 Students for Spring 2026

ALEXANDRIA, La. - Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) has set another all-time enrollment record, welcoming 7,728 students for the Spring 2026 semester, an 11.9% increase over Spring 2025. This milestone marks the highest official enrollment in the university’s history and further extends LSUA’s multi-year pattern of sustained growth.

The Spring 2026 increase places LSUA in clear contrast to national higher education trends. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, total U.S. postsecondary enrollment rose by approximately 2% nationwide, while most four-year institutions experienced their customary enrollment declines between the fall and spring semesters. LSUA not only avoided that decline but also posted spring-over-fall growth for the third consecutive year, contributing to its position as one of the fastest-growing undergraduate institutions in the country.

Enrollment growth at LSUA continues to be fueled by strong demand for flexible learning options. Online enrollment climbed to 4,801 students, a 20.5% increase in one year, reflecting strong demand for flexible, career-aligned degree pathways. Over the same period, on-campus enrollment grew by 10.4%, underscoring the strength of LSUA’s campus experience, expanding facilities, and comprehensive student support services.

LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil explained, “In today’s environment, students and families are being very intentional about where they invest in higher education. Our continued enrollment growth confirms that LSUA’s value proposition is clear and compelling. An LSUA degree is affordable, relevant, and closely aligned with real workforce demand. Our graduates are leaving prepared to step directly into meaningful careers. The momentum we are seeing sends a strong signal: students are seeking education that leads to valued career opportunities important to economic and workforce development across the state.”

National enrollment data helps contextualize LSUA’s performance. Recent growth across higher education has been driven primarily by affordability, flexibility, and workforce relevance: factors that have favored public institutions offering clear returns on investment. In a recent NPR report, Courtney Brown of the Lumina Foundation noted that confidence in higher education is returning, but selectively. “The public’s been telling us that cost, flexibility, and career relevance shape their view of college’s worth,” Brown said. “So, people aren’t turning away from education—they’re just getting more precise about what kind of education they want.”

LSUA exemplifies that precision. As Louisiana’s most affordable four-year public university, with rising graduation rates and 100% job placement in many high-demand fields, LSUA offers a direct, attainable pathway from college to career. Its undergraduate-only mission enables intentional advising, personal instruction, and programs aligned with the workforce needs of central Louisiana and the state.

LSUA Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Student Engagement Abbey Bain noted, “Our record enrollment is the result of intentional, behind-the-scenes work by faculty and staff who are deeply committed to the entire student journey. Our teams are focused on making sure students feel supported, known, and prepared. That coordinated, student-centered approach is what sets LSUA apart and why students continue to choose us for their degree.”

Students enrolled at LSUA, both online and on campus, represent all 64 Louisiana parishes, all 50 states, and 28 countries, evidencing the university’s expanding reach as an accessible, high-quality public institution serving learners at every stage.

As LSUA continues its upward trajectory, Spring 2026 stands as another marker of a university growing not just in size, but in impact, by expanding access, strengthening outcomes, and redefining what success looks like in public higher education.

For more information about LSUA and its academic programs, visit explore.lsua.edu.