Ag Minute: U of I ACES Enrollment Holds Near Record High

The University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is continuing a three-year run of record-level enrollment, with more than 3,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the college this fall.

ACES welcomed 542 first-year students and 155 transfer students. Overall undergraduate enrollment stands at 3,063, just 18 students below fall 2025, when the college surpassed 3,000 undergraduate students for the first time.

Another 767 students are enrolled in ACES graduate programs, including 167 new graduate students.

“Maintaining undergraduate enrollment at this level reflects the enduring relevance of the fields we teach,” said Dean Germán Bollero. “Students want to tackle consequential challenges — from feeding a growing population and protecting our natural resources to strengthening families, communities, and economies. ACES gives them the knowledge and skills to turn those ambitions into meaningful careers and real-world impact.”

Students in ACES can choose from more than 20 undergraduate majors spanning agriculture, engineering and technology, business and economics, food and nutrition, human development, communications and education, and environmental sciences.

Illinois also continues to receive national and international recognition in agricultural fields. The university’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering undergraduate program is ranked No. 2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, while its graduate program is ranked No. 4. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is also tied for No. 22 worldwide in agriculture and forestry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

A large majority of ACES students come from Illinois. This fall, 85% of first-year students and 87% of all ACES undergraduates are Illinois residents. Across undergraduate and graduate programs, ACES students represent 95 of Illinois’ 102 counties.

First-generation college students make up 26% of the incoming class and 28% of ACES undergraduates overall.

“One of the things that sets ACES apart is how quickly students can move from learning about something to actually doing it,” said Anna Ball, associate dean for academic programs. “They can work alongside faculty in research, gain experience through internships and study abroad, and build relationships with mentors and alumni who are invested in where they go next. Students have the resources of Illinois behind them, but their ACES experience is still very personal.”

The college also added its eighth academic department this fall with Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. The department expands opportunities for students to develop communication, leadership and education skills alongside their technical studies.

ACES’ enrollment comes as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also reached a new overall enrollment record this fall, surpassing 61,000 students for the first time and welcoming its largest-ever first-year class.