Enrollment at State University of New York campuses on Long Island are climbing, with Stony Brook University, Farmingdale State College and SUNY Old Westbury hitting new milestones.
Stony Brook welcomed its largest incoming class of first-year students in the university’s 67-year history. New first-year students totaled 4,402, up 13% over last year. Transfers increased by 4%. And according to school officials, the campus received the most undergraduate applications of any SUNY school.
“This historic enrollment of first-year students is a testament to Stony Brook University’s steadfast commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience and its rise in reputation as one of the nation’s most prominent public flagship research universities,” Interim President Richard McCormick said in a news release about the increased enrollments.
And while enrollment of students of color have dropped at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, enrollment of first-time students at Stony Brook who identified as Black increased from 364 in fall 2023 to 433 in fall 2024. Those who identified as Latino increased from 496, in the fall 2023, to 633 in the fall 2024. This represents an increase of over 200 students who identify as Black or Latino over the prior year.
“Stony Brook today exemplifies dramatically all the most important developments in modern American higher education — a growing and highly diverse student body, an expanding research enterprise, and research achievements that are contributing mightily to the economy and society,” McCormick said.
College campuses across the country have seen a decline in enrollment since 2010, according to the Education Data Initiative, a research group. Enrollment peaked at 2010 at 21.02 million, and since then declined by 11.61%. In 2024, of those enrolled in post-secondary education, it is projected that 73.2% are at public institutions, while 60.8% are at private institutions, according to the organization.
On Long Island, Farmingdale State College also hit a new milestone this fall, with enrollment of 10,041, up 6% from the previous academic year, college officials said.
Farmingdale State this fall welcomed a freshman class of more than 1,900 students, up 9% from a year ago. And its fall application submissions rose to 15,308 in 2024, up by nearly 8% over last year.
The college is also seeing growth in its honors program and support initiatives.
“Reaching this year’s enrollment milestones is a demonstration of our campus-wide commitment to delivering an elevated education that empowers students through personalized support and exceptional value,” Rohan Howell, vice president of enrollment management at Farmingdale State, said in a news release about the increased enrollment levels.
“As we continue to innovate and expand, we remain committed to offering exceptional educational opportunities that attract a diverse and talented student body,” Howell said.
At SUNY Old Westbury, the 2024-25 incoming class comprised 800 first-year students, up 10% from the previous academic year and exceeding the campus’ previous peak of 751 students in 2018.
“We’re excited to welcome more first-year students than we ever have before,” SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy Sams said in a news release about this year’s increased enrollment.
“We see this achievement as further proof that our academic offerings, coupled with a campus community focused on student success and our commitment to justice and equity, are the right fit for students who today want to be prepared for the work and world that lies ahead of them,” Sams said.
The campus saw an increase of applications for this fall, reaching nearly 7,800 first-year student applications, up 11% over the fall.
SUNY Chancellor John King said in May that enrollment is up by 4% for first-year students, according to Spectrum News 1. Some of the campuses that saw decline, he said at the time, “haven’t made adjustments in terms of their staffing and programming to align with their current enrollment. And so those campuses have made changes. At the same time, many of those campuses are also making investments in other areas that are growing.”
Enrollment in the Farmingdale State College Honors Program continues to grow with a record 29 new students, bringing the total students in the program to 60 since the program welcomed its first cohort in 2022. The program combines academic rigor in and out of the classroom, connection to community on and off campus and access to scholarships and fellowships throughout a student’s college career.
This year, the college welcomed 215 students in its Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program, a new initiative that provides wraparound support that is designed to ensure student academic success, retention and on-time graduation. The program offers resources and support – including funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance, academic assistance, comprehensive personalized advisement and career development activities – that help Pell-eligible students overcome barriers that can prevent them from achieving their goals and obtaining a degree. Farmingdale is one of 25 SUNY campuses to offer the ACE program or its community college counterpart Advancing Success in Associate Pathways.
The college also welcomed its largest incoming class to its Equal Opportunity Program (EOP), a state-wide assistance program offered through SUNY. EOP is designed to provide academic advising, tutoring, financial assistance and personal counseling to students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring access to the tools necessary for academic success.