WSSU enrollment reaches highest level since 2021
Incoming class sets 10-year academic high
Winston-Salem State University is not only rising – it’s growing. The university welcomed 5,210 students for the fall 2026 semester, its highest total enrollment since 2021 and a 9.1% increase from 2023.
WSSU welcomed 1,120 first-time freshmen, a 27% increase from 2023. The incoming class has an average high school GPA of 3.4 – the highest reported in the university’s comparative enrollment data spanning the past decade.
Graduate enrollment reached 681 students, a 32% increase from 2023 and the highest level in at least 10 years.
The enrollment momentum continues under the leadership of Chancellor Bonita J. Brown, who took the helm of WSSU in 2024 with student success as her guiding priority. Since then, enrollment has increased across key student populations including first-time freshmen and graduate students.
“These results tell an important story about Winston-Salem State University,” Brown said. “More students are choosing WSSU, and we are welcoming one of our strongest incoming classes. As my administration enters year three, our focus is not growth for growth’s sake. It is ensuring that every student who chooses WSSU has the opportunity to thrive — from the moment they arrive on our campus through graduation and career success.”
The growth comes as WSSU advances “We Are Rising 2030,” the university’s strategic plan focused on fostering student success, advancing academic excellence, strengthening institutional operations and expanding WSSU’s impact and visibility.
Central to the plan’s student success pillar is ensuring that WSSU’s enrollment growth is matched by the support students need to succeed. As part of that commitment, Brown established a Division of Student Success to coordinate efforts focused on retention, persistence and graduation.
Those efforts have also earned national recognition. In 2025, WSSU received a UNCF UNITE Student Champion Award for its student-first approach, bold leadership and innovation in helping students succeed. The university also received the Association of College and University Educators’ Movement Maker Award for its campuswide efforts to strengthen faculty instruction and improve student outcomes.
