Seattle U Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Seattle University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding Seattle U 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.

• Seattle U Retention Rate
• Seattle U Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Seattle U Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Seattle U Retention Rate

Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.

With 82% students making it past their freshmen year, Seattle U 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 Washington, the average is 73.95%.

Seattle U Graduation Rates

There were approximately 1,172 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

64% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 79% in six years, and 79% in eight years.

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 Seattle U graduation rate 79%.

How long does it take to get a bachelor's degree at Seattle U? The standard length of time for most students is 4.19 years.

Seattle U Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Seattle U Drop Out Rate

Approximately 316 students or 21% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 316 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 252 transferred to another institution.

• Seattle U lost contact with the remaining 61 who we assumed dropped out.

Seattle U Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 Seattle U 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 Seattle U Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Seattle University represent 59% of the students in the class of 2015, and 56.23% of Seattle U bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 64%, first-time students in the Seattle U class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the Seattle U graduation rate was 76%, and by the eight year mark, 76% 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.

Seattle U First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Seattle U Drop Out Rates

212 first-time / full-time students or 24% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 175 transferred to another institution.

• Seattle U lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Seattle University represent 0.47% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 43%, first-time, part-time students in the Seattle U class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 43%.

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 Seattle U Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Seattle U Drop Out Rates

4 first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 4 transferred to another institution.

• Seattle U lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

582 Seattle U students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 39.11% 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 85%, 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 85%.

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.

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

Non First-Time / Full-Time Seattle U Drop Out Rates

87 non first-time / part-time students or 15% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 62 transferred to another institution.

• Seattle U lost contact with the remaining 25 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

28 Seattle U students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 1.88% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 54%, 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.

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

Non First-Time / Part-Time Seattle U Drop Out Rates

13 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 11 transferred to another institution.

• Seattle U lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• Image Credit: By Joe Mabel under License