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NSU Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

22% 4-Year Graduation Rate
42% 6-Year Graduation Rate
76% Retention Rate

Northern State University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How long does it take to earn a degree at NSU? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.

NSU Retention Rate

76% Freshmen Retention Rate
Good Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 76% students making it past their freshmen year, NSU 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 South Dakota, the average is 75.05%.

NSU Retention  76 out of 100
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100%
South Dakota Retention  75 out of 100
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100%
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Retention Rate
NSU76%
Nationwide70.57%
South Dakota75.05%

NSU Graduation Rates

42% 6-Year Graduation Rate
31.95% Transfer Rate
24.11% Dropout Rate

There were approximately 281 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 22% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% of this class completed their degree.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official NSU graduation rate 42%.

The average length of time it takes an NSU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.46 years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  26%
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100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  42%
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  43%
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100%

NSU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years17626%
Six Years28142%
Eight Years111%
Did Not Complete38357%
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
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NSU Drop Out Rate

Approximately 383 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 383 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.0%
Transferred21656.4%
Dropped Out16342.6%

NSU Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

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Race/EthnicityGraduation Rate
American Indian or Alaskan Native17%
Asian50%
Black / African-American23%
Hispanic20%
International65%
Multi-Ethnic21%
White49%

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.

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 NSU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.

First-Time / Full-Time NSU Graduation Rates

60% First-Time, Full-Time
43% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Northern State University represent 60% of the students in the class of 2015, and 62.28% of NSU bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 22%, first-time students in the NSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the NSU graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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.

Four Year Graduation Rate  22 out of 100
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100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  43 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  45 out of 100
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100%

NSU First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsNSUNationwide
Four Years22%37.92%
Six Years43%46.43%
Eight Years45%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time NSU Drop Out Rates

225 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred13057.78%
Dropped Out9542.22%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

4% First-Time, Part-Time
4% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / part-time students at Northern State University represent 3.85% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 4%, first-time, part-time students in the NSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 4%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  4 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  4 out of 100
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100%

First-Time / Part-Time NSU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsNSUNationwide
Four Years4%14.37%
Six Years4%21.59%
Eight Years4%23.72%

First-Time / Part-Time NSU Drop Out Rates

25 first-time / part-time students or 96% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred832.00%
Dropped Out1768.00%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

28% Returning, Full-Time
51% 6-Year Grad Rate
Average Grad Rate

187 NSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 27.66% 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 51%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 52%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  51 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  52 out of 100
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100%

NSU Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsNSUNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years51%53.83%
Eight Years52%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time NSU Drop Out Rates

90 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled33.33%
Transferred5662.22%
Dropped Out3134.44%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

8% Returning, Part-Time
18% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

55 NSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 8.14% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 18%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 22%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  18 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  22 out of 100
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100%

NSU Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsNSUNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years18%36.03%
Eight Years22%37.80%

Non First-Time / Part-Time NSU Drop Out Rates

43 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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Returning / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled12.33%
Transferred2251.16%
Dropped Out2046.51%

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