Buffalo State experiences significant gains in first-time students, on-campus residents
Buffalo State welcomed 1,293 undergraduate freshmen this fall, up 3.7% from a year ago, once again positioning the university to have among the largest incoming freshman classes in the four-year SUNY University Colleges (formerly Comprehensive) sector.
Buffalo State’s total enrollment is 6,095 students, with 5,195 undergraduate and 900 graduate students.
“These positive enrollment numbers are a testament to the work of our Enrollment Management team and our entire Buffalo State community,” Interim President Bonita R. Durand, Ph.D., said. “This is an important time for us as we build a strong future for Buffalo State. The success of our recruitment efforts is truly encouraging.”
Buffalo State’s retention rate for its Fall 2024 class was 65.5%, an increase of 7.8 percentage points from the previous year. That improvement in first-year retention rate is 16.2 percentage points greater than three years ago. Retention rate measures the students who return in a subsequent academic term, in this case on a fall-to-fall basis for first-year students.
“These retention rates reflect consistent progress that is a result of excellent work from the entire campus community,” Durand said. “At Buffalo State, we know that work across all divisions contributes to the student experience and academic success.”
“Our enrollment success is really student success,” Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management David Loreto said. “More than half of our incoming students are the first in their families to pursue a college degree, and their courage and determination remind us why Buffalo State exists. We are here to ensure every student has the opportunity to achieve their goals, make their families proud and build a brighter future.”
Buffalo State has also experienced a significant increase in residential students. The total number of on-campus residents is 1,962 students, an increase of 3.6% from a year ago and the highest level since Fall 2020.
Additionally, the retention rate for residential students has improved to 65.1%, up 20.6 percentage points from three years ago.
“This is a direct result of following best practices in Resident Assistant training, better communication with our residential students and their families, and programming geared toward student retention and persistence,” Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Wayne Brumfield said. “These coordinated efforts across divisions create positive results.”
Buffalo State’s ACE program nearly doubled in size from last year, with 387 students this fall, a remarkable milestone for this proven driver of student success in SUNY that provides wraparound support to ensure academic success, retention and on-time graduation.
“Students need that sense of belonging,” Buffalo State ACE Director Jude Jayatilleke said. “When they come to us with challenges, we help and provide solutions.”
Roar 2 Success, which recently expanded to a two-year program, allowing it to both extend its longevity and provide greater levels of support, increased its retention rate to 65.5%, up 18.7 percentage points from a year ago.
Buffalo State’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has grown to 385 students, also showing significant retention rate gains with an increase of 12.1 percentage points from a year ago to 71.9%.
The Muriel A. Howard Honors Program enrolled the third-largest incoming class in its history and now has 659 students.
Buffalo State received a record-breaking 27,000-plus applications for Fall 2025--the largest in the university’s history, fueled in part by Buffalo State’s participation in Common App's Direct Admissions Program, an innovative initiative that lowers barriers for students, especially those from underserved communities, and encourages more students to pursue higher education.
