SANTA FE – The New Mexico Higher Education Department announced Wednesday that college enrollment across the state increased this spring for the fourth consecutive semester since the Opportunity Scholarship Act was signed in 2022, marking an average increase of nearly 4 percent statewide compared to last spring.
According to initial numbers collected for the spring semester from the state’s 29 public and tribal colleges and universities, the number of students enrolled in certificate and degree programs is up by over 3,500 students compared to spring 2023. The most notable increases occurred across the state’s comprehensive universities and branch community colleges.
Additionally, an analysis conducted by the department revealed that students who received the Opportunity Scholarship during the 2022-2023 academic year were 8 percentage points likelier to stay in school or complete their degree compared to peers not receiving the scholarship. The number of students earning short-term career training certificates also increased by 39 percent during the same timeframe.
“As we celebrate the remarkable surge in college enrollment across New Mexico, alongside the notable uptick in students persisting through to completion, we're witnessing the tangible impact of our state's commitment to accessible education. Governor Lujan Grisham's vision to open the doors of higher education wide for every New Mexican is being realized through initiatives like the Opportunity Scholarship. It's gratifying to see that the scholarship is doing exactly what it was intended to do — empowering individuals to pursue their educational aspirations and fostering a brighter, more prosperous future for our state,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Opportunity Scholarship into law in 2022, with the first scholarships awarded during the fall 2022 semester. Since that time, overall college enrollment has increased by nearly 7 percent, a dramatic reversal of more than a decade of enrollment declines in the state. First-time, full-time enrollment increased by nearly 10 percent. New Mexico had the second-highest enrollment growth of any state in 2023 and remains in the top five states for enrollment increases nationally.
The scholarship has proved to be an important resource for non-traditional students and recent high school graduates alike, as well as historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. The average Opportunity Scholarship recipient is under 25 years old, receives a Pell Grant, and is female and Hispanic.
The Opportunity Scholarship is the only state-funded scholarship in the nation that serves both recent high school graduates and returning adult learners; accommodates both part-time and full-time students; covers certificate, associate and bachelor’s degree programs; allows students to attend during the summer; covers full tuition and has no income requirement. It has been nationally recognized by the Campaign for Tuition-Free College and Complete College America as the most accessible and expansive tuition-free college program in the United States.
The complete dataset reflecting college enrollment captured within the first three weeks of the spring semester can be found here on NMHED’s website.
For more information about the Opportunity Scholarship and Lottery Scholarship, visit ReachHigherNM.com