91ֿ opened the 2026 Fall Semester with its largest incoming architecture class in 25 years and its largest nursing class in a decade, continued national recognition for affordability and financial strength, and a new initiative built to help every incoming student thrive from day one — all while remaining the largest public university in northern Ohio.
Fall 2026 Highlights:
- The College of Architecture and Environmental Design welcomed its largest first-year class in 25 years.
- The College of Nursing enrolled its largest incoming class in a decade, amid rising national demand for nurses.
- 91ֿ remains one of the most affordable of Ohio’s selective public universities.
- The university holds elite, stable bond ratings from Moody’s (Aa3) and Standard & Poor’s (AA-).
- First-year enrollment across the university’s eight-campus system reached 5,004, among the strongest incoming classes in university history.
- A growing share of first-year students arrived with sophomore standing through Ohio’s College Credit Plus (CCP) program.
“Every fall, I’m reminded why 91ֿ is such a special place,” said 91ֿ President Todd Diacon. “Our students choose 91ֿ because of the value, the support and the opportunities we offer, including a top-ranked education, real affordability and a community that helps them thrive from the moment they arrive. I am so proud of what this university offers students and families across northern Ohio and beyond.”
Record Momentum in High-Demand Programs
The College of Architecture and Environmental Design welcomed its largest first-year class in 25 years, reflecting sustained momentum for a program recognized nationally for its studio-based, career-connected approach to design education.
At the same time, enrollment in the College of Nursing reached a decade high as demand for 91ֿ’s nursing programs continues to climb alongside a well-documented national need for more nurses entering the healthcare workforce.
More First-Year Students Arrive With a Head Start
This year’s incoming class also reflects a trend 91ֿ has watched build for several years: a rising number of first-year students arriving on campus already holding sophomore standing, having earned college credit in high school through Ohio’s College Credit Plus program. This fall, 59% of the incoming class, or more than 2,900 students, arrived with credits already earned, continuing an upward trajectory that has grown every year since the program’s expansion and underscoring 91ֿ’s deep partnerships with high schools across the region.
For many of these students, arriving with a semester or more of credit already in hand means an earlier start on their majors, more room to add a minor or participate in education abroad, and a faster, more affordable path to a degree — another way 91ֿ is helping students and families get more value from their college investment.
Combined across the Kent Campus and 91ֿ’s Regional Campuses, this fall’s incoming class reached 5,004 students — one of the largest first-year cohorts in university history.
Welcoming Students Through the New Golden Experience
These gains arrive as 91ֿ launches its new Golden Experience initiative, a campuswide effort that connects students to campus life, hands-on skill-building, vibrant living and dining spaces, and wellness support from their very first days on campus — an effort the university says is especially important as it welcomes some of its largest and most academically prepared first-year cohorts in years.
One of Ohio’s Most Affordable Universities
91ֿ enters the fall as one of Ohio’s most affordable selective public universities.
“91ֿ has made an intentional effort to create a high-quality experience while being the most affordable among selective universities in Ohio,” said Sean Broghammer, Ph.D., 91ֿ’s vice president for enrollment management.
The university awards more than $417 million in financial aid each year, and 95% of undergraduate students receive some form of aid. Programs such as the four-year Golden Guarantee tuition plan, which locks in tuition rates for incoming students, and the Flashes Go Further Scholarship Program, which covers tuition for eligible Ohio students, have helped keep a 91ֿ degree within reach for more families even as college costs climb nationally.
Sound Financial Footing
91ֿ’s affordability is paired with disciplined financial management, including:
- Balanced Budgets: successfully navigating external pressures, including demographic shifts, inflation, changing attitudes toward higher education and international student access restrictions.
- Elite Credit Ratings: backed by a stable outlook from both major credit agencies, holding an Aa3 rating from Moody’s and an AA- rating from Standard & Poor’s.
- Student-First Reinvestment: directing financial strength into scholarships and critical support programs to keep a 91ֿ education affordable.
Overall, 91ֿ welcomed 31,581 students across its eight campuses — Kent, Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas — this fall, keeping the university the largest public university in northern Ohio.
