(The Lion) — Just days after winning a legal battle against the federal government, Grand Canyon University announced an all-time high for enrollment in the 2025-26 school year.
The Christian university has a total of 133,000 students enrolled for the fall semester, an 8% increase from the previous year.
About 25,000 of those students will be studying in person, a 10% increase from last year.
GCU President Brian Mueller credited the school’s success to high quality academics, affordability and a Christ-centered culture.
“There is no shortage of families looking for high-quality, affordable education options rooted in Christian values,” Mueller said. “And they come from every corner of the country.”
GCU draws students from all 50 states and has its main campus in Phoenix, Arizona, 11 hybrid learning sites nationwide and popular online programs.
The university emphasizes its ongoing commitment to affordability, having frozen tuition for 17 years.
Currently, annual tuition for an in-person undergraduate is $16,500 (not including scholarships). Hybrid learners pay less than $11,000, while online programs cost around $400-485 per credit.
Meanwhile, the average annual tuition at America’s private colleges is over $38,000, according to the Education Data Initiative – and even public in-state tuition is nearly $10,000 per year on average.
But GCU’s students don’t just love the price tag.
“If I ask students on our ground campus why they chose GCU, 9 out of 10 will say it is because of the community atmosphere on campus,” Mueller said. “It’s what we’re known for, and faith plays a big part in creating that culture.”
The college also notched a victory earlier this month when a Biden-era federal lawsuit against GCU was dropped and a $38 million fine rescinded by the Trump administration.
“We have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university,” Mueller said at the time. “That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students and their families.
“Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”
