Florida International University’s fall class is its largest

Florida International University welcomed its largest incoming freshman class this fall with a continuing trend towards STEM-focused disciplines.

As fall classes commenced Aug. 21, FIU’s enrollment totaled 49,130 for undergraduate and graduate students. That number is expected to climb when dual enrollment numbers become available later this semester.

FIU also saw its largest class of first-year students this term, surpassing last year’s freshman class by nearly 1,000 students.

Of the almost 50,000 students enrolled, 5,332 are new freshmen. “We have a larger incoming freshman class than any previous year on record,” said the university’s director of media relations, Madeline Baró, in a statement.

FIU has been a leader in STEM education, attracting students from all over the world, and the trend is expected to continue. With the growing interest in STEM majors, computer science has seen a significant increase in enrollment over the past few years, said Ms. Baró.

Biology, psychology and finance are among the other popular majors seeing the most enrollment. The College of Arts, Sciences and Education is the largest college, followed by the College of Engineering and Computing, and the College of Business.

FIU is ranked 151st among the best national universities, according to US News and World Report for 2022-2023. It also ranked 54th in best undergraduate teaching universities, 36th in most innovative schools, and fourth in top performers on social mobility, among other national rankings.

In addition, the College of Business ranked second for best undergraduate international business programs. The university’s most popular majors include business, management, marketing and related support services, comprising 25% of its graduates.

FIU is among the 10 largest universities in the nation and has a 42% graduation rate, with more than 275,000 alumni, 165,000 of whom live and work in South Florida.