Record Indianapolis first-year class grows 14% as Marian expands its reach among Indiana, first-generation, and Catholic high school students
INDIANAPOLIS — Marian University has set a new enrollment record for the fourth consecutive year, welcoming more than 1,450 new students across its undergraduate, graduate and professional programs and locations this fall. The total represents an increase of about 12% over last year’s record and continues a period of sustained, accelerating enrollment growth at the university.
The growth is particularly strong at Marian University’s Indianapolis campus, where a record 594 first-year students enrolled this fall, a 14% increase in a single year for first-year, bachelor-degree students.
The composition of the incoming class also reflects Marian University’s growing reach among students and families across Indiana. Eighty-four percent of Indianapolis first-year, bachelor-degree students are Indiana residents, with the number of students from the state increasing 14% over last year. The record class also includes 17% more first-generation college students and 25% more 21st Century Scholars. First-year enrollment among graduates of Catholic high schools increased by 40%, while the number of legacy students, those with a family connection to Marian University, increased by 31%.
“Welcoming over 590 first-year students to our Indianapolis campus, a 14% increase in just one year, is an extraordinary milestone for Marian University,” said Jessica Morales-Maust, vice president for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications. “What makes this growth especially meaningful is not simply its scale, but who we are reaching. More Indiana students, more first-generation students, and more students from Catholic high schools are choosing Marian. In our 175th year, that is a powerful affirmation of our mission, the value of a Marian education, and the tremendous momentum surrounding this university.”
The enrollment growth extends beyond Indianapolis. Marian University Plymouth recorded a 15% year-over-year increase in total new students, contributing to the university-wide record of more than 1,450 new students.
The latest enrollment results build on three consecutive record years and reflect Marian University’s continued expansion of academic opportunities and pathways for students. As the university celebrates its 175th anniversary, it continues to invest in programs that respond to student interests, workforce needs and emerging opportunities in Indiana and beyond.
The record also shows growth across a broad range of academic interests. Among first-year students in Indianapolis, the five most popular majors are nursing, exercise science, biology, marketing and management.
Marian University’s continued enrollment growth comes as the university expands its academic, research, and physical footprint, creating new opportunities for students while remaining rooted in its Catholic and Franciscan mission. The university continues to develop new academic programs and learning opportunities to prepare students for evolving workforce needs and to extend Marian’s educational impact.