Dr. Jim Payne, dean of Spears Business, poses for a photo with two business students on Monday, the first day of class at OSU.

Spears Business numbers reach historic highs

Monday, August 21, 2023

Media Contact: Terry Tush | Director, Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2703 | terry.tush@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University announced record-breaking enrollment numbers Monday and the Spears School of Business also established historic numbers on the first day of class for the 2023-24 school year.

OSU announced the highest-ever enrollment on the Stillwater campus with 25,174 students, including a record-setting number of full-time freshmen (4,686). Spears Business did its part with a total enrollment of 6,059 undergraduate and graduate students, including the largest freshman class in business school history with 955 first-year students. This marks the second consecutive year of record enrollments in Spears Business.

“It was satisfying to stand in the lobby of the Business Building this morning and greet the students as we begin another great year at Spears Business,” Dean Jim Payne said. “It’s pleasing that so many students value the education that we provide at Spears Business. To have more than 6,000 students put their trust in us is very humbling for the school’s administration, faculty and staff.”

The record number of undergraduate Spears Business students on the Stillwater campus include:

5,190 undergraduate business students, the largest class in school history and 7.9% more than a year ago;
955 new freshmen, the most ever and a 6.7% increase from 2022;
345 transfer students, an increase of 13.9% over a year ago.

The graduate program, including both the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, include:

818 students, a 5.1% increase in overall graduate program students;
313 new graduate students, 28.1% more than 2022.

Total Spears Business enrollment for undergraduate and graduate students at both the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses is 6,059 for the fall, a 7.4% increase from a year ago.

With total OSU System enrollment eclipsing 34,000 students, OSU remains the largest university system in the state. OSU also set a record for non-resident enrollment 7,417 — up 2.9% from the previous record set in 2022. Retention rates continue to rise as well, with OSU posting percentage gains in seven of the last eight years.