UT System Reports Record Enrollment, Research Growth, and Workforce Development Push in 2025

UT set new records in student enrollment, retention, and research funding in 2025. (Photo of UT Knoxville Campus, from UT Knoxville Facebook Page)

The University of Tennessee System set new records in student enrollment, retention, and research funding in 2025, leaders announced during the Board of Trustees fall meeting Friday.

President Randy Boyd reported that 64,866 students are enrolled systemwide this fall—the highest in university history. First-year retention reached 85.8 percent, while four-year and six-year graduation rates climbed to 57.7 percent and 65.6 percent, respectively.

“2025 has been a record-crushing year,” Boyd said, citing growth across all campuses and improvements in student outcomes. “We’re seeing record fundraising, record research, and record retention.”

The university also reported $524.1 million in research expenditures, a 21.5 percent increase over last year, and more than $492 million raised in private gifts.

Boyd outlined new 2026 legislative priorities, including a proposed $311 million College of Medicine building at the UT Health Science Center—the largest higher education investment in state history—and initiatives in agriculture, business, and health facilities across the system.

State and National Context

UT’s enrollment surge comes at a time when many universities across the country continue to recover from pandemic-era declines. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment grew by just over one percent nationwide in 2025, marking the first increase since 2019.

In Tennessee, UT’s record-setting numbers advance the state’s broader “Drive to 55” initiative, which aims for 55 percent of Tennesseans to hold a postsecondary degree or credential. As the state’s flagship university system, UT’s progress plays a key role in reaching that statewide education goal.

“The University of Tennessee is fueling the state’s long-term workforce pipeline,” Boyd said. “Our focus on access and success is paying off in a measurable way.”

Research and Economic Growth

The system’s record $524 million in research expenditures places UT at a spot where it rivals peers such as the University of Florida and the University of North Carolina.[SA1] 

Through partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where UT recently renewed its management contract, and initiatives such as the Entrepreneurial Fellows Program and Angel Network Fund, the university is channeling research into commercial innovation, workforce training, and economic development.

Boyd said the university’s investments in research are directly linked to Tennessee’s economic growth, noting that UT’s research enterprise supports thousands of jobs and drives new opportunities in clean energy, agriculture, and healthcare technology.

Historic State Investments

The $311 million proposal for a new College of Medicine building continues Tennessee’s pattern of record-setting higher education infrastructure investments.

In 2025, the state allocated $165 million for a new chemistry building at UT Knoxville—the largest single investment in that campus’s history—and $57.5 million for UT Martin’s College of Business. The latest funding priorities signal an ongoing partnership between lawmakers and university leaders to expand Tennessee’s higher education capacity and research footprint.

“These investments reflect a shared commitment to the future of Tennessee,” Boyd said. “From our chemistry and agriculture programs to medical education, these are projects that will shape the next generation of discovery and service.”

Fueling Tennessee’s Workforce

Looking ahead, the university is adding a new pillar to its 2030 Strategic Plan titled “Fuel the Workforce of Tennessee and Beyond.”

The initiative focuses on expanding workforce pipelines in healthcare, engineering, and education through new credentials, apprenticeships, and partnerships with employers. Boyd said the emphasis reflects both statewide labor shortages and UT’s role in preparing graduates to meet market demand.

“As we grow, we have a heightened responsibility to deliver the talent our stakeholders need,” Boyd said. “Workforce development is now central to how we serve Tennessee.”

Boyd said the new strategic direction builds on Tennessee’s college access programs such as Tennessee Promise and UT Promise, which provide tuition-free pathways for qualifying students. The university’s focus on workforce readiness aims to strengthen those programs by ensuring students not only access higher education but also graduate with the skills and credentials needed for high-demand fields.

A Forward-Looking Decade

As the UT System prepares for its 2030 milestones, Boyd said the institution is focused on expanding access, driving innovation, and modernizing infrastructure to sustain growth.

“Infrastructure is critical if we’re going to continue to grow,” he said. “We’ve got aging facilities that need replacement and new facilities that must be built to support the next decade of expansion. That’s how we’ll continue serving Tennessee’s students, workforce, and communities.”