Enrollment at Northwest Missouri State University this fall is 6,530 students, the university announced after completing its fall census.

The total headcount comprises 5,628 undergraduate students, a slight increase from last fall, and 902 graduate students.

The headcount includes 1,347 first-time freshmen and 298 transfer students, up 17.8 percent from last fall. At the same time, 70.7 percent of Northwest’s fall 2015 first-time, full-time freshmen returned to the university, a percentage that places Northwest above state and national averages.

“Northwest has embarked on a number of new enrollment strategies to impact student success and retention,” Bev Schenkel, Northwest’s associate provost for enrollment and retention management, said.

The university’s enrollment includes 662 international students, representing about 10 percent of Northwest’s student body. They represent 35 countries with the majority of those students coming from India, Nepal, China and South Korea.

The university’s in-state student population increased to 4,192 students and students represent a total of 39 states this fall. In addition to Missouri, Northwest draws well from Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

Academically, Northwest students remain strong with an average ACT score of 22.5 and an average high school grade-point average of 3.38.