YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University’s spring headcount enrollment increased 2.2% compared with spring 2025, but first-time undergraduate enrollment fell 51%.
The spring semester headcount is 11,804, compared with 11,555 in spring 2025 and 10,580 the previous spring. The university reported a 1.15% enrollment full-time equivalent increase this semester, from 8,478 students in spring 2025 to 8,575. That number was 8,007 in spring 2023. FTE is a combination of full- and part-time students.
President Bill Johnson attributed the increase to quality and affordability.
“I think it’s the fact that it’s the quality of education and the cost at Youngstown State,” he said. “We remain the third lowest tuition in the state. That’s in spite of what’s happening to colleges around the country, where costs continue to rise, and Youngstown State is not in that position. We continue to offer a quality education for an affordable price.”
When Johnson meets with students and asks why they chose YSU, they point to cost and quality, he said.
“I think we’re still one of the best deals in the state – certainly the best deal in the region,” the YSU president said.
He said YSU is able to maintain affordability while other colleges and universities may not by being good financial stewards.
“We don’t spend money frivolously on things that we don’t need,” Johnson said. “And that’s been a long-standing philosophy here. Our CFO, Neal McNally, terms that ‘operating in a perpetual state of fiscal caution.’ We understand what happens when universities get behind the eight ball financially. Many of them end up closing their doors because they can’t recover.”
He added that one of the reasons he was hired as YSU president is his background in business.
“I don’t have your traditional academic background coming into the presidency of the university, but I do know how to run a business,” Johnson said. “And looking at both sides of the ledger sheet – managing our revenue and managing our expenses – that’s very important, and that’s how we’re able to do that.”
Enrollment numbers also show a 2% increase in continuing enrollment, or those who returned from a previous semester. First-time graduate enrollment saw a 5.3% increase.
“I think with the retention, we’re putting a lot more focus in our programs over less obstacles for students,” said Jennifer Adams, YSU provost and vice president of academic affairs. “So how do we make sure that there’s only prerequisites when they’re needed? How do we make sure there’s more tutoring assistance? How do we make sure there’s corequisites that help support these students?”
Overall, graduate enrollment increased less than 1%, with a 31% increase in doctoral students, a 2.2% decrease in graduate students and a 0.8% increase in professional students.
Regarding the 51% decrease in first-time undergraduate enrollment this semester, Adams pointed to a large increase of former Eastern Gateway Community College students last spring and a decrease in the number of new international students compared with a year ago.
For the spring 2025 semester, 357 former Eastern Gateway students enrolled at YSU, compared with 152 in spring 2026.
Eastern Gateway, which was headquartered in Steubenville with a downtown Youngstown campus, ceased enrolling students in 2024 after years of financial and accreditation challenges. It formally closed Sept. 30.
A state audit released last November found $17 million in questionable spending at the college.
YSU, which started more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs last year to serve former Eastern Gateway students, will open a branch, YSU Steubenville, at the former community college campus this fall.
YSU plans an open house April 25 at its new campus.
“We’ll invite the community in – whether it’s parents, students, organizations, you name it – and, of course, we’ll be open for registration at that point too,” Johnson said. “So we’ll be showing off the changes that we made to the building and helping to spur the excitement.”