Truett Seminary Begins 31st Academic Year with Record Enrollment
***CORRECTION: According to official enrollment statistics from Baylor’s Office of Institutional Research Truett Seminary enrolled 483 students this term instead of 476, which was based on early census date data.
Waco, Texas (September 22, 2025) – With an official enrollment census now complete, Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is both pleased and grateful to announce that it has set an all-time enrollment record for the fall of 2025 with 483 students enrolled in for-credit, graduate-level classes at the school. This record-breaking enrollment number represents an increase of almost 20%, which underscores a sustained four-year trend of fall-to-fall enrollment growth.
“Generous scholarships, multiple instructional sites, growth in the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degree programs, and student-centered retention efforts combined to create a tangible impact this fall,” said Toby Osburn, EdD, assistant dean of Student Services.
According to statistical data provided by Truett’s Office of Student Services, Truett Seminary enrolled 117 students in the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program this term. These students represent roughly one-fourth of the total enrollment and mark a 44% increase in the program since fall 2024.
“The growth we have seen in the DMin program is a testimony to the value pastors place on professional development,” said Preben Vang, PhD, professor of Christian Scriptures and executive director of the DMin program. “By offering DMin cohorts in Waco, Houston, San Antonio, Amarillo, and Falls Church, Virginia, pastors and ministry leaders have flexible access to rigorous professional education grounded in research and applied in real-life ministry practice.”
Truett Seminary also reported an 11% increase in Master of Divinity (MDiv) enrollment as compared to last year. This stands in contrast to the overall nationwide decline the MDiv has experienced among ATS-accredited seminaries over the past decade. The MDiv remains the Seminary’s top enrolled program on its main campus in Waco as well as at its additional instructional sites in Houston and San Antonio. The Houston and San Antonio campuses currently enroll 61 and 20 students respectively in courses leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, and Master of Theological Studies degrees.
While Baptists currently make up 53% of Truett’s total enrollment, nearly 20% of Truett students presently come from Methodist and other Wesleyan denominations. “We remain deeply committed to Baptists from Texas and beyond even as our reach now extends to broader evangelical circles, with no less than 26 different denominations represented in Truett’s student body,” said Osburn.
Most Truett students come from Texas, California, Virginia, and Alabama, with the largest international representation coming from India, Kenya, Uganda, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. Women currently make up 40% of Truett’s student body. This rich mixture of students contributes to a dynamic learning community grounded in orthodox faith.
In addition to record enrollment in graduate degree programs, Truett continues to see strong participation in its extended learning opportunities. This fall, 357 students are engaged in non-credit and certificate programs, including 168 in the Online Certificate Program, 123 in the Wesley House Pastoral Studies Program, 49 in the Faith & Sports Institute Online Certificate Program, and 17 in the Spiritual Direction Training Program.
Regarding this news, Todd D. Still, PhD, dean of Truett Seminary, remarked, “Eugene Peterson’s vision for Christian life and ministry was ‘a long obedience in the same direction.’ Truett Seminary is committed to theological education for the long haul, both ‘in season and out of season.’ Yet, we are thrilled regarding the record-shattering enrollments, both in the entering class as well as in overall ‘headcount,’ we are enjoying this fall. This continues an upward enrollment trend for Truett and is attributable to any number of factors, including the good work and good will of so many. We are grateful for the strategic opportunity and sacred stewardship of preparing in increasing numbers God-called men and women for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. May it long continue!”
Prospective students can learn more about Truett Seminary by attending a Preview event this fall, signing up for a personal tour at one of its three campuses, requesting more information, or applying to become a student through the Truett Admissions website.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical, multi-denominational school in the historic Baptist tradition embedded into Baylor, a Christian R1 University. Truett’s mission is to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist World Alliance, Truett Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Contextual Witness and Innovation, Master of Arts in Theology, Ecology and Food Justice, Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies (online), Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry, and PhD in Preaching. In addition to a number of distinctive programs, institutes, and centers, Truett Seminary also offers joint degrees through Baylor University school/college partnerships in social work, business, law, music, and education. Besides its flagship Baugh-Reynolds Campus in Waco, the Seminary also has locations in Houston and San Antonio. Visit the Truett Seminary website to learn more.