Golden State Today

The University of California, Davis has reported a significant milestone in its enrollment statistics for fall 2024. The institution welcomed a record 41,239 students, marking an increase of 391 students or 0.9% compared to the previous year. This rise includes undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as veterinary and medical residents and interns.

UC Davis has achieved eligibility to be designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), one of the few research-intensive universities with this status. In late October, it was announced that Latinx enrollment reached about 8,100 students or 25.1% of undergraduate full-time-equivalent (FTE) students. This surpasses the U.S. Department of Education's criteria for HSIs.

"The campus has long-sought HSI designation to underscore its commitment to serving Latinx students," stated the university's announcement. This designation would enable UC Davis to apply for competitive grants from federal sources and foundations aimed at supporting student success and institutional transformation.

In terms of representation among new undergraduates from California, more than three in every ten were Hispanic/Latino(a). The percentage of students from historically underrepresented groups increased to 37.5%, the highest in over 25 years.

New undergraduates hail from diverse locations including 56 counties within California, 47 states and U.S. territories, and 48 countries worldwide. Approximately 83.4% are California residents.

Among these new Californian undergraduates:

- Hispanic/Latino(a) students increased by 4.1%, making up 31.3%.

- African American enrollment rose by 9.6%, representing 5%.

- American Indian numbers grew by 19.2%, accounting for 0.8%.

- Pacific Islander enrollment increased by 8.3%, constituting 0.3%.

Notably, around 40.8% of new students will be the first generation in their families to graduate from a four-year university; approximately one-third are considered low income; and nearly two-fifths receive federal Pell Grants.

Robert Penman, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at UC Davis noted that first-year students had an average GPA of 4.04 with a median GPA of 4.08 while transfer students averaged a GPA of 3.59 with a median GPA of 3.62.

As part of planning purposes related to its Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), UC Davis estimates its three-quarter average student population will remain around the LRDP capacity estimate of approximately 37,000 for the academic year.