Texas Tech Shatters Enrollment Record with 45,000 New Students

For the first time in university history, Texas Tech is welcoming over 45,000 new students to campus. This is also the fifth consecutive year where enrollment has grown each summer.

So, why the growth? What is Texas Tech doing right?

Record Enrollment at TTU

Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year stands at 45,812 students. Not only is this the highest in the university's history, it's also 3,859 students more than just one year ago.

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec says the reason for this momentous growth lies in a strategic approach to making education accessible for all:

Our faculty and staff provide an exceptional academic experience and a level of personal support that distinguishes Texas Tech. Students who visit our campus experience a community and culture that is difficult to replicate.

Something else to keep in mind is that the university's growth is thanks to the first-time student population. The number of students choosing Texas Tech to start their college careers is also at an all-time high at 9,552.

Texas Tech vs. America: Graduation Rate

The university's graduation rate for a typical 4-year student comes in at 51%.

To put this into perspective, the national average for a 4-year graduation rate is 53.5%. Here's another interesting fact from educationdata.org: the total number of bachelor's degree recipients nearly doubled over the past 25 years.

2025 saw 2,167,569 graduates with bachelor's degrees, while the year 2000 saw only 1,237,875 graduates. Going back even further, did you know that in the year 1870, there were only roughly 9,300 graduates in America?

Of course, Texas was only its own state for about 25 years at that point, but still quite the fun random fact to keep in your noggin for trivia night.