Three Northwest Indiana colleges are boasting increased enrollment numbers for the fall semester as the 2026-27 school year is about a month underway.
Indiana University Northwest, Purdue University Northwest and Valparaiso University released enrollment numbers in the past couple of weeks.
According to a news release from IUN, the Gary campus has seen increased student enrollment for the second consecutive year. The fall 2026 census found 3,329 enrolled students, which is a 2.1% increase from fall 2025 and a 9.5% increase from fall 2024.
This is the third year in a row that IUN’s headcount has “either held steady or increased,” according to the news release, with credit hours also up 2.9% from 2025 and 12% from fall 2024.
New student enrollment, which includes first-years and transfers, is up 7.3% from last year and 25.1% from two years ago. Beginner enrollment is up 6.9% year-over-year and 32.3% from fall 2024, while transfer numbers have seen an 8.2% increase year-over-year.
“It is incredibly encouraging to see students across Northwest Indiana choosing to invest in themselves and their futures through higher education,” IUN Chancellor Arrick Jackson said in a news release. “Our faculty and staff are committed to ensuring our students experience a world-class education, helping them through graduation and into successful careers.
According to a PNW news release, the school has 1,653 new undergraduate students this semester, along with a 70.8% retention rate for second-year students. The school reported 6,103 undergraduate, graduate and online students for the fall semester.
PNW saw the highest number of first-year students from high schools in the Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Lake Central, Munster and Valparaiso areas, according to the release, with in-state students making up about 80% of PNW undergraduate and graduate students.
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According to university numbers, 3,171 high school students are earning college credit from PNW, which the news release said demonstrates the school’s impact on regional economic and community development.
“(PNW) is trusted and valued by area families as a top public institution where students can pursue an affordable college education and gain the relevant experiences that give graduates an advantage in meeting changing workforce and economic needs,” PNW Chancellor Kenneth Holford said in a statement. “Our student-centric focus prioritizes providing all students with academic quality, rigor and support networks that transform future graduates into leaders who instrumentally shape Northwest Indiana’s workforce and communities.”
In an email to the Post-Tribune, Valparaiso University Director of University Communication Michael Fenton said new student enrollment is at a three-year high, and the first year-over-year growth at the school in more than 10 years.
New student enrollment for fall 2026 is 668, Fenton said in his email, compared to 625 last year and 640 two years ago.
According to numbers on the university’s website, 1,961 undergraduate students are enrolled, and 323 graduate students are enrolled. The university’s total enrollment this year is 2,284 students.
“Our growth this fall, at a time when higher education faces so many challenges, tells us that families are seeing the difference a values-based Valpo education makes — one where students are known by faculty who challenge and support them, and where they join a community of learners who want to be involved and engaged,” LeAnn Hughes, senior vice president for enrollment and marketing, said in a statement to the Post-Tribune.
“Valparaiso is a place where students know their next step won’t just be a successful job placement or graduate school acceptance — they’ll be prepared to lead in their fields and serve within their communities. Importantly, the upward trend will also have an impact on Northwest Indiana as we prepare its next generation of leaders.”