by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding NIU 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 78% students making it past their freshmen year, NIU 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NIU | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 3,018 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
20% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 56% in six years, and 58% in eight years.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical NIU graduation rate 56%.
The typical NIU student takes 4.60 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2,209 | 41% |
| Six Years | 3,018 | 56% |
| Eight Years | 76 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,278 | 42% |
Approximately 2278 students or 42% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2278 students who did not complete their degree?
13 are still enrolled.
1689 transferred to another institution.
NIU lost contact with the remaining 568 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 1689 | 74.1% |
| Dropped Out | 568 | 24.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Asian | 56% |
| Black / African-American | 29% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 47% |
| International | 42% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 39% |
| Unknown | 33% |
| White | 59% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 NIU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at Northern Illinois University represent 48% of the students in the class of 2015, and 38.47% of NIU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 20%, first-time students in the NIU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the NIU graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | NIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
1386 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
1082 transferred to another institution.
NIU lost contact with the remaining 294 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 0.94% |
| Transferred | 1082 | 78.07% |
| Dropped Out | 294 | 21.21% |
First-time / part-time students at Northern Illinois University represent 0.84% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 18%, first-time, part-time students in the NIU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 20%.
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 | NIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
36 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
27 transferred to another institution.
NIU lost contact with the remaining 8 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.78% |
| Transferred | 27 | 75.00% |
| Dropped Out | 8 | 22.22% |
2322 NIU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 43.22% 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 70%.
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 | NIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 55.07% |
689 non first-time / part-time students or 30% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
469 transferred to another institution.
NIU lost contact with the remaining 215 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.73% |
| Transferred | 469 | 68.07% |
| Dropped Out | 215 | 31.20% |
406 NIU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 7.56% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 57%, 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 59%.
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 | NIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 57% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 37.80% |
167 non first-time / part-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
111 transferred to another institution.
NIU lost contact with the remaining 51 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.99% |
| Transferred | 111 | 66.47% |
| Dropped Out | 51 | 30.54% |
