Indiana Wesleyan University sets all-time enrollment record with nearly 17,000 students
Marion, Ind. (Sept. 24, 2026) — With the fall semester fully underway, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) announced Thursday that it has enrolled a record 16,921 students across its three academic units, the highest total in the university's history.
The figure represents an increase of more than 10% over the previous record of 15,339 students, set in August 2024. The growth extends across all three academic units, with each enrolling more students than in fall 2025. IWU Online enrolls 14,024 adult learners across the nation and around the world. The residential campus in Marion enrolls 2,161 students, and Wesley Seminary, which serves students primarily online, enrolls 736.
“This record is not about numbers on a spreadsheet. It is about 16,921 individual stories of people who have trusted IWU to help shape who they are becoming,” said Jon S. Kulaga, Ph.D., president of IWU. “Every one of those students represents a family, a church, or a workplace that believes in what happens here. We are humbled by that trust, and we give God the glory for it.”
The growth comes at a time when many colleges and universities nationwide are reporting flat or declining enrollment, with some facing consolidation or closure. Against that backdrop, IWU's continued momentum reflects sustained demand for a Christ-centered education that pairs academic rigor with spiritual formation, delivered in the formats today's students need, whether on campus, online, or in seminary programs.
“Families and adult learners are looking for a university that knows exactly what it believes and why it exists,” Kulaga said. “IWU has consistently focused on its mission to develop world changers who live out their faith in Christ with excellence wherever God calls them. That clarity is precisely why more students are choosing IWU, and it is why we will not drift from its mission.”
Kulaga credited the record to faculty and staff across the university.
“I am deeply grateful to our faculty, staff, and enrollment teams,” Kulaga said. “They have worked with remarkable unity toward a shared goal. We previously set an all-time enrollment record just two years ago in 2024. This record reflects years of thoughtful work to strengthen our programs, enhance our marketing and branding, fine-tune our enrollment processes, expand access, and serve students well. Our task now is to steward this growth so that every student, wherever they study, experiences the same commitment to excellence and care.”
About IWU
Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) provides various educational pathways and nurtures students of all ages as they discover the way forward. For over 100 years, IWU has offered a Christian, liberal arts education, anchored by personal student attention and innovation, which has allowed it to grow into one of the largest faith-based universities in America. Over 14,000 students worldwide are enrolled in rich academic programs in highly acclaimed disciplines. Traditional students live and learn on the beautiful 350-acre IWU campus in Marion, IN, and non-traditional students acquire degrees through IWU-National & Global programs offered online and at ten education centers in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Wesley Seminary, founded by IWU and recognized as the official seminary of The Wesleyan Church, prepares Christian leaders to engage in missional ministry locally and globally. Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. To discover the way forward or learn more about IWU, visit indwes.edu.
