Ouachita continues to grow residential enrollment, with largest campus community since 2012

The 2019 fall semester marks the third consecutive year of growth in residential undergraduate enrollment at Ouachita Baptist University increasing from 1,492 to 1,506 since last fall. Fueled by growth in new students, Ouachita also recorded its largest residential enrollment since 2012.

Ouachita’s three years of successive growth, including this year’s 1% increase, is noteworthy given the 9% decrease in the number of students enrolled in all of the state’s colleges and universities as reported in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on June 23.

“The growth is further evidence that Ouachita is rising,” said Dr. Ben Sells, president. “Ouachita is increasingly recognized by students and their families as well as by those who rank universities.”

Recent recognitions include:

  • #1 “Best Value College” in Arkansas by Niche.com, which considers costs, student debt, graduation rates and alumni earnings, along with reviews from students and alumni.
  • #2 “Regional College in the South” (a 12-state region) by U.S. News & World Report.
  • #1 in student satisfaction among all universities in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas by College Consensus

“We’re especially pleased with the ‘best value’ recognition,” Sells said. “It reflects Ouachita’s affordability, high-impact learning and commitment to spiritual growth that contribute to a 99% career outcomes rate, 15 percentage points higher than the national average.”

The career outcomes rate reflects the percentage of graduates who are either employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation.

Including undergraduate residential, online and concurrent programs, Ouachita’s current enrollment stands at 1,633 students.