Dordt University achieves record enrollment for fall 2024 semester

Dordt University has once again achieved record enrollment.

The institution’s overall enrollment for the fall 2024 semester is 1,943; it is the largest enrollment in Dordt’s history, exceeding the fall 2023 record of 1,911.

Fall 2024 enrollment broke other institutional records, including:

• Total degree-seeking undergraduate enrollment of 1,581
• 460 first-time degree-seeking students

There are more than 1,600 full-time students enrolled this semester. This is also the fourth year in a row that Dordt has seen an increase in headcount and full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment.

“Dordt’s record enrollment reflects the value students find in both the education and the community here,” says Greg Van Dyke, director of admissions. “It speaks to the meaningful connections they build with professors and peers, creating a supportive environment where academic rigor and personal growth go hand in hand.”

Registrar Jim Bos says that achieving record enrollment shows that Dordt “works hard to find students who fit the mission of the institution and who want a Christian education from a Reformed perspective.”

This is evidenced in Dordt’s freshmen-to-sophomore retention rate of 84.7%, one of the best retention rates in Dordt’s history. Bos says that this shows that Dordt recruits students “who fit. They feel comfortable and enjoy their Dordt experience enough to come back. This is very encouraging.”

Van Dyke says that students and families continue to connect with Dordt’s commitment to the institutional mission as a Christian college. “They seek a truly Christian environment where they are both challenged and encouraged in their faith, and I think they find that here at Dordt.”

Dordt’s six-year graduation rate is 72.4%, one of the institution’s highest-ever graduation rates.

“We have academic programs that interest them, and we have a vibrant campus community that encourages them. And most graduate on time and then go out to serve God’s kingdom,” says Bos.

One interesting finding is that only 36% of Dordt students come from Iowa.

“While many Midwest private colleges primarily draw students from within a 1–2-hour radius, Dordt is different,” says Van Dyke. “This creates a truly residential campus where students stay on the weekends, which I believe is a key reason why the sense of community at Dordt is so strong.”

Dordt alumni and students carry a joyful purpose in their lives, says Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Dr. Brandon Huisman, because they reflect the love of Christ each day.

“As people see the good news of the Gospel lived out, they’re drawn to the work the Lord is doing to shape students at Dordt University through our faculty and staff,” he says. “We are blessed to serve a record number of students again this year and embrace the responsibility of preparing them to be effective kingdom citizens.”

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.