SEMO's Carlos Vargas on the competition for students

Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas was asked to comment about the school's enrollment during remarks last week to the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

According to a flyer the college distributed to First Friday Coffee attendees at Century Casino, 11,523 degree-seeking students attended SEMO in pre-pandemic fiscal year 2019-2020. According to data compiled in the school's three-year report, available for viewing via SEMO's website, www.semo.edu, combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment stood at 9,013 for the current spring semester.

"The competition at this point from different universities is extremely high," Vargas said. "This year, our international student population grew by 49% and we're seeing this trend increase. U.S. domestic enrollment is a bit more challenging. In 2025, there will be the start of a downward trend in high school graduation rates. This is the result of lower birth rates from 18 to 20 years ago."

SEMO has received an impact report it recently commissioned on the economic value of Southeast to the State of Missouri.

Moscow, Idaho-based EMSI, in interpreting collected data, said the average bachelor's degree graduate from SEMO will see an increase in earnings of $28,900 annually compared to someone whose top level of education is a high school diploma: $60,600 vs. $31,700.

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