by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding NAU retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 76% students making it past their freshmen year, NAU has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Arizona, the average is 67.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NAU | 76% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arizona | 67.94% |
How many of the estimated 4,388 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 58% of the students had graduated and after eight years 60% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of NAU is 58%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
The average NAU student takes 4.33 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3,574 | 47% |
| Six Years | 4,388 | 58% |
| Eight Years | 139 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 3,041 | 40% |
Approximately 3041 students or 40% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3041 students who did not complete their degree?
31 are still enrolled.
1878 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 1111 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 1878 | 61.8% |
| Dropped Out | 1,111 | 36.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 37% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 32% |
| Hawaiian | 29% |
| Hispanic | 52% |
| International | 66% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 50% |
| Unknown | 33% |
| White | 61% |
Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at NAU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-time / full-time students at Northern Arizona University represent 44% of the students in the class of 2015, and 41.50% of NAU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 40%, first-time students in the NAU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the NAU graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 57% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 47.82% |
1426 first-time / full-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
981 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 420 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 981 | 68.79% |
| Dropped Out | 420 | 29.45% |
First-time / part-time students at Northern Arizona University represent 9.29% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 35%, first-time, part-time students in the NAU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 38%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 35% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 23.72% |
435 first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
273 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 155 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.61% |
| Transferred | 273 | 62.76% |
| Dropped Out | 155 | 35.63% |
2550 NAU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 33.69% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 70%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 72%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 72% | 55.07% |
720 non first-time / part-time students or 28% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
418 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 290 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.67% |
| Transferred | 418 | 58.06% |
| Dropped Out | 290 | 40.28% |
1004 NAU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 13.26% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 53%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 54%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 53% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 37.80% |
460 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
206 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 246 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.74% |
| Transferred | 206 | 44.78% |
| Dropped Out | 246 | 53.48% |
