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UNO Welcomes Nearly 15,000 Mavericks for Fall 2026

First-time freshmen, graduate students, and transfer students are driving another year of stable enrollment for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

  • published: 2026/09/08
  • contact: Sam Peshek - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
Five UNO students smile and hold signs with messages including “Future Alumni,” “Manifesting 4.0 Energy,” and “Catch Me on the Dean’s List” during an outdoor campus event.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Durango Days First Day of Class Kick Back was held at UNO Dodge Campus Housing’s Maverick Village. Photo: Ryan Soderlin, UNO Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

First-time freshmen, graduate students, and transfer students are driving another year of stable enrollment for the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) according to new data from UNO’s Division of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success (IESS).

➡️ What’s new: While UNO’s total headcount of 14,810 total students is a 1% decrease from the Fall 2025 semester, UNO’s graduate enrollment of 3,157 students is up .4%.

💡Why it matters: Increases in graduate students, first-time freshmen (1.4%), and transfer students (7.2%) reflects progress in ongoing efforts to strengthen Omaha’s workforce by:

  • Equipping working professionals with new or expanded skills through graduate education.
    Streamlining the transfer experience through initiatives like UNO and Metropolitan Community College’s (MCC) Momentum partnership.
  • Strategic travel and outreach for undergraduate recruitment team with 118,000 miles traveled and over 1,100 recruitment events.
  • Additionally, 6,640 students enrolled in Summer 2026 semester courses, a slight increase from Summer 2025.

📈 By the numbers:

🎤 What they’re saying: “This year’s enrollment data shows we are a university that meets learners where they are in their educational journey. Whether you are transferring to, building your skills as a graduate student, or starting your journey as a college freshman, the path to a fulfilling career that makes a difference in our city and our state runs through UNO,” UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA said.

💻 Read more:

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university, committed to innovating for the public good, advancing social mobility, powering workforce development, and serving as a hub for community engagement. Nearly 15,000 Mavericks choose UNO for its hands-on education experiences, nationally ranked online and graduate programs, military-connected student support, and innovative approaches to supporting lifelong learning. UNO holds the Carnegie Research Activity “R2” designation, securing more than $40 million annually in external research funding and counts its faculty among the world’s most cited scholars. Sixteen Omaha Athletics programs compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Summit League and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). 

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