by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at SAU Tech? 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 56% students making it past their freshmen year, SAU Tech has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Arkansas, the average is 66.23%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SAU Tech | 56% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arkansas | 66.23% |
There were approximately 1,111 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 46% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 49% of the students had graduated and after eight years 53% 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 SAU Tech graduation rate 49%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 987 | 43% |
| Six Years | 1,111 | 49% |
| Eight Years | 98 | 4% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,078 | 47% |
Approximately 1078 students or 47% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1078 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
324 transferred to another institution.
SAU Tech lost contact with the remaining 704 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 324 | 30.1% |
| Dropped Out | 704 | 65.3% |
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 SAU Tech 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 Southern Arkansas University Tech represent 14% of the students in the class of 2015, and 14.49% of SAU Tech bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 46%, first-time students in the SAU Tech class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SAU Tech graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | SAU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 47.82% |
150 first-time / full-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
39 transferred to another institution.
SAU Tech lost contact with the remaining 107 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 39 | 26.00% |
| Dropped Out | 107 | 71.33% |
First-time / part-time students at Southern Arkansas University Tech represent 3.02% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 29%, first-time, part-time students in the SAU Tech class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 29%.
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 | SAU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 29% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 23.72% |
49 first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
19 transferred to another institution.
SAU Tech lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 19 | 38.78% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 61.22% |
1171 SAU Tech students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 51.20% 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 57%.
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 | SAU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 55.07% |
504 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
123 transferred to another institution.
SAU Tech lost contact with the remaining 359 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 4.37% |
| Transferred | 123 | 24.40% |
| Dropped Out | 359 | 71.23% |
732 SAU Tech students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 32.01% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 45%, 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 49%.
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 | SAU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 45% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
375 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
143 transferred to another institution.
SAU Tech lost contact with the remaining 208 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 6.40% |
| Transferred | 143 | 38.13% |
| Dropped Out | 208 | 55.47% |
