The expected fall 2025 enrollment surge is here! Preliminary data show that fall 2025 will be among the top 3 highest semesters for enrollment at Austin Community College District (ACC), with the growth largely driven by the Free Tuition Pilot Program and increases among students returning to ACC. 

As of September 1, 2025, overall enrollment is 43,941, up 10.2% from the previous fall semester (39,889) and up 23.1% from two years ago (35,707). 

This fall, 10,427 recent high school graduates and Texas GED® graduates from the ACC service area are taking advantage of ACC’s Free Tuition Pilot Program. There are now two cohorts of Free Tuition students–those who graduated in the class of 2024 and those in the graduating class of 2025. Of those from the Class of 2024, 4,949 reenrolled this fall. The Free Tuition Class of 2025 grew to 5,523. Although the majority of Free Tuition students, or 89%, are in-district, out-of-district students (11%) are also taking advantage of reduced college costs.

Many other student groups are also returning, with 31,704 students choosing to continue their education with ACC — an increase of 12% from last year and 21.7% from two years ago.

Growth is happening across all areas of study, with the biggest increases in:

  • Health Sciences | Up 18.3%
  • Public & Social Services | Up 15.4%
  • Liberal Arts – Humanities & Communication | Up 14.7%
  • Design, Manufacturing, Construction & Applied Technology | Up 14.7%
  • Business | Up 14%

“The enrollment surge is proof that more students are choosing ACC as their pathway to a better future. That doesn’t happen without the dedication and teamwork of our faculty and staff. This is what it looks like when a college community comes together to put students first,” says ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. 

Preparing for Growth

To accommodate the enrollment surge, the College created nearly 500 new course sections. 

ACC also hired about 100 new full-time faculty and 252 new adjunct faculty over the summer to support the growth. Additionally, 192 of the 715 active adjuncts who were not scheduled to teach in the fall are now assigned to teach one or more courses.

The College continues to schedule and staff sections for fall 2025, focusing now on 14-and 12-week terms, and later second 8-week terms.

ACC’s Fall 2025 Student Body

Preliminary numbers show ACC’s overall student body is 57% female and 43% male, percentages on par with last year. This fall, Hispanic student enrollment grew 11.5%, Black student enrollment grew 10.7%, Asian student enrollment grew 8.7%, white student enrollment grew 7.1%, and students self-selecting two or more races grew by 19.7%.

Campuses seeing the largest percentage increase in student enrollment are Hays (23.3%), Rio Grande (20.4%), Round Rock (19%), and Cypress Creek (18.9%). About 27,515 students, or 44%, are taking classes online/distance education — 10.8% more than last year. 

More data can be found on the Office of Institutional Research & Analytics’ Daily Registration Report dashboard.