PEORIA, Ill. — Bradley University is reporting a significant bump in enrollment for the Fall 2026 semester.
According to the school’s annual fall census, 1,160 new students have joined the campus community. That group features 876 first-year students—marking a more than 36 percent increase over last fall. Transfer students are also up by 20 percent with 180 enrolling, alongside 104 new graduate students.
“Every new student brings something to Bradley, and this class is joining us at an exciting time,” Bradley President James Shadid says.”We’re building on the strengths of this university while creating new opportunities for students to learn, connect and succeed. Seeing more first-year students choose Bradley gives us even more reason to be optimistic about where we’re headed.”
Dr. Angie Cooksy, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, says the uptick points to the success of Bradley’s outreach.
“This increase in first-year students is an encouraging sign that more students and families are seeing the value of a Bradley education,” Cooksy said. “Our recruitment efforts are connecting students with the personal attention, hands-on learning and opportunities that make Bradley special.”
The new first-year class brings strong academic credentials, boasting a combined grade point average of 3.84. The incoming class is geographically diverse as well, representing 449 high schools across 30 states and 17 countries. Transfer students hail from 15 states, Puerto Rico, and seven countries, while new graduate students arrive from 19 states and 17 countries.
University officials credit recent investments in campus facilities, residence hall renovations, new academic programs, expanded graduate pathways, and premier club sports for helping drive momentum and interest in the university.
The enrollment surge follows several national honors for Bradley, including rankings among top regional and national universities by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and Money magazine.
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