The first day of classes at Missouri University of Science and Technology began on Monday, Aug. 22, with 7,271 students, an increase of 319 students. Nearly half of the new students are enrolled in the university’s distance education programs, a growth of 27.4 percent over last year’s numbers. On-campus enrollment has increased 2.6 percent.

“Our distance and continuing education programs continue to grow,” says Dr. Warren K. (Kent) Wray, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “The students appreciate the convenience of online learning coupled with Missouri S&T’s academic quality.”

Female enrollment, typically low at engineering-dominant schools, is also on the rise. “Our on-campus female enrollment is currently at a record 1,501 students,” says Laura Stoll, interim vice provost and dean of enrollment management. “We expect the total on- and off-campus number of 1,608 female students to exceed the record of 1,610 by the end of the fourth week, when we have our official numbers.”

The quality of Missouri S&T students continues to be high. “Our ACT average is still among the top 10 percent in the country,” says Stoll.

Missouri S&T’s solid enrollment numbers may also be attributed to graduates’ high starting salaries. In its 2011-12 College Salary Report, Payscale Inc., a Seattle-based research firm, ranked Missouri S&T second among Midwestern public and private universities, with an average starting salary of $58,600.

The official fall enrollment figures will be released after the fourth week of classes.