Freshmen ACT scores at 5-year high 
Henderson State University first-time freshmen topped the state and national averages for ACT scores with a five-year high of 21.9 this fall.
Additionally, the average high school grade point average for Henderson State’s freshmen class is 3.23. Total enrollment for the fall 2016 semester totaled 3,571 students, up 1 percent over last year.
“Our freshmen class is one of the most academically prepared in the state,” said Henderson State President Glen Jones. “We believe that these students will lead to increased retention and enhanced student success, which will position Henderson to achieve the graduation outcomes that Gov. Hutchinson has challenged all state colleges and universities to achieve.”
Graduate enrollment at Henderson State University jumped 16 percent to 499 students for the fall. Henderson State offers 13 master’s and educational specialist programs, most of which are offered completely online for student convenience.
Henderson State is currently one of two universities in the state offering the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree focused on special education. This degree is a hybrid offering (some classes offered online and some in-person) and has contributed to the university’s growth this fall.
“In addition to the new MAT program, we have begun offering the option to pursue our Master of Business Administration degree completely online,” said Graduate School Dean Dr. Ken Taylor. “These online programs allow students the flexibility to pursue advanced degrees at their own pace and in their own homes.”
Earlier this year, Henderson’s online MBA was named the No. 6 most affordable MBA degree program in the nation.
Henderson State’s Hot Springs location registered 160 students, with 77 of them enrolled full-time at the satellite campus.
Top majors for Henderson State undergraduates continue to be business administration, biology, elementary education, health sciences, recreation and psychology. The top graduate programs are clinical mental health counseling, educational leadership, sport administration, the MAT degree and business administration.
Henderson has also added several new degree programs including a bachelor of science in criminal justice, a bachelor of science in education in computer science and business education (4-12), an online RN to BSN program for nursing and an online master of science in sports administration. New minors include engineering physics, museum studies and public administration/public management. The School of Business is also offering new undergraduate certificates in business IT, fashion marketing, financial services support, integrated marketing communication, nonprofit management, personal finance and personal sales.