On the heels of being ranked the number one college in the country for the second year in a row by Wallethub, State Technical College of Missouri has set another enrollment record as the school on Monday welcomed a record-breaking number of students to campus, the most since the college was founded in 1961.

A total of 1,948 students equals a 14% increase from last year. This is the fourth year in a row with record-breaking first-year enrollment numbers, and over the last five years, State Tech’s enrollment has grown more than 55%.

State Tech President Dr. Shawn Strong said he is pleased with the increase in enrollment.

“A few years ago when our state appropriation was cut we made the strategic decision to grow,” said Dr. Strong. “I would have never predicted the kind of growth we continue to witness. Our team has really stepped up and made this possible. This speaks volumes of the State Tech employees and our incredible value proposition. We do one thing and we are awfully good at it. Employers realize this as well which is why we say, from the classroom to your career we are the Employers’ Choice.’”

An increased effort in marketing and admissions is one of the keys to this growth.

“We are so excited to have so many new students on campus this fall,” said State Tech’s Admissions Director Jessica Haefke. “Students know that State Tech is the place to go if you want to graduate and get a job. Four years of record enrollment in a row is hard to accomplish, but we did it.”

Just last week the national organization, WalletHub, named State Tech the best two-year college in the United States. WalletHub ranked nearly 700 colleges across the country. In determining its rankings, WalletHub considered a variety of factors broken down into three main categories: Career Outcomes, Education Outcomes, and Cost and Financing. State Tech was also ranked the third-best college in the country by Forbes Magazine.