Amid concerns that universities are becoming too elite and exclusive Arizona State University is offering a powerful counternarrative.
On Monday, May 12, ASU celebrated more than 21,000 students — the largest class in its history — signalling that accessible, job-ready education is not only possible but thriving. Of the more than 21,000 students applying to graduate, over 14,000 are undergraduates — a 6% increase from last spring.
The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering has the largest number of graduates at 4,700, followed by The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with 4,100, and the W. P. Carey School of Business with nearly 4,000. The graduates also will be among the world’s most job-ready,with ASU ranked as the No. 2 public university in the United States .
ASU Online will celebrate nearly 7,400 students earning their degrees digitally. ASU Online includes a 57% increase in the number of students receiving degrees from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts; a 46% increase in the W. P. Carey School of Business; and a 12.5% increase in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
As the nation’s largest public university, ASU’s commitment to excellence is equipping students to lead in fields such as engineering, artificial intelligence, business, and technology — all critical for solving today’s evolving challenges.
Other highlights from this spring’s graduating class:
- More than 9,800 hail from all parts of Arizona.
- More than 3,000 are international students,reinforcing ASU’s global appeal and commitment to supporting learners from around the world.
- Over 150 earned their degrees throughASU’s Earned Admission program, which offers flexible pathways for students to gain university admission.
ASU’s expanding impact shows that a university can be both inclusive and excellent — preparing graduates not just to enter the workforce, but to lead it.
