RUSTON, La. — Louisiana Tech University has set records for undergraduate and main-campus enrollment this fall, even as declines in international and dual-enrollment students pushed the university’s overall headcount below last year’s level.
Louisiana Tech reported total fall enrollment of 11,898 students, including a record 9,006 undergraduate students and a record 9,897 students on its main campus. The university also enrolled 2,432 first-time freshmen, its largest domestic freshman class to date.
The figures show a shift from a year ago. Louisiana Tech reported total enrollment of 12,145 students in fall 2025, its highest level since 2018. That means overall enrollment declined by 247 students, or about 2%, this year, despite growth among traditional undergraduate students.
Louisiana Tech attributed the overall decline primarily to two areas. The university enrolled 111 fewer international students amid challenges involving international student visas, while dual enrollment declined by 379 students, primarily because of instructor turnover and transitions among partner schools.
At the same time, the university continues to see growth among incoming freshmen. This year’s class of 2,432 edged past last year’s then-record class of 2,416. The number of freshmen entering Louisiana Tech with an ACT score of 30 or higher increased 22%.
Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson pointed to retention as another factor supporting the university’s main-campus growth. Tech says it has the highest retention rate in the University of Louisiana System.
“We also celebrate our retention efforts that have resulted in the most revenue-producing students in our history,” Henderson said. “While many institutions in our state and country are seeing a downturn in on-campus students, we are excited to welcome more individuals than ever to the Tech family.”
Workforce-focused programs see growth
Several of Louisiana Tech’s fastest-growing academic programs are tied to industries experiencing increased demand for workers in Louisiana.
Construction engineering technology led the university in percentage growth, increasing 25% year over year. Education, nursing, electrical engineering and accounting also posted double-digit percentage growth. Other programs among Tech’s 10 largest areas of growth include kinesiology and health sciences, business administration, finance and psychology.
The construction program’s growth is particularly notable. Louisiana Tech announced last week that the Louisiana Contractor’s Educational Trust Fund and Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors donated $247,640 to support the Construction Engineering Technology program.
Overall enrollment in the program increased from 230 students last fall to 318 this fall, and Louisiana Tech expects it to approach 375 students by the end of the academic year. The program is now among the university’s 10 largest.
The latest contribution follows more than $1 million in renovations to laboratories and classrooms serving civil engineering and construction engineering technology students in Bogard Hall. Those renovations were completed in 2025.
Henderson said the enrollment trends reflect growing demand for graduates as Louisiana attracts major industrial and technology investments, citing projects including the Meta data center in Richland Parish and Radiance Technologies’ microchip facility in Ruston.
“Our students are preparing to contribute to the state’s rapidly growing economy,” Henderson said.
Nearly 90% of Louisiana Tech’s enrollment consists of Louisiana residents, with students representing 63 of the state’s 64 parishes.