JBU enrollment marks 2 records

Total enrollment at John Brown University in Siloam Springs rose by 3.8% to 2,340 this year from 2,253 last year, according to its 11th-day report. The private, Christian university recorded its largest freshman class and new student enrollment this year.

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education requires Arkansas colleges and universities to provide an 11th-day enrollment report. The numbers are preliminary.

This year, JBU has 1,354 traditional undergraduate, 379 graduate and 139 online undergraduate students. It also has 450 concurrent high school and 18 academies students. The university’s freshman class comprises a record 378 students, up two from the previous high in 2023. New student enrollment was 445, also up two from the previous high set in 2015. Last year, new student enrollment was 435.

JBU has 900 students who are Arkansans, comprising 38.4% of enrollment.

Compared to last year, traditional undergraduate enrollment rose by 4.9% from 1,290, and online undergraduate enrollment increased by 12% from 124. Graduate enrollment fell by 4% from 395. Academies enrollment declined by 66.6% from 54, while concurrent high school students rose by 15.3% from 390.

Compared to 2019, total enrollment is up less than 1% from 2,317. JBU has more traditional undergraduates, including freshman and new students, but fewer online undergraduate and graduate students this year compared to 2019. In 2016, JBU had its largest total enrollment of 2,695 students.