by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to Texas Tech after their first year? Are Texas Tech students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 87% students making it past their freshmen year, Texas Tech 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 87% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
Of the 4,705 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 35% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 60% of the students had graduated and after eight years 62% of this class completed their degree.
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 Texas Tech graduation rate 60%.
The average Texas Tech student takes 4.49 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3,235 | 41% |
| Six Years | 4,705 | 60% |
| Eight Years | 198 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,977 | 38% |
Approximately 2977 students or 38% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2977 students who did not complete their degree?
34 are still enrolled.
2025 transferred to another institution.
Texas Tech lost contact with the remaining 882 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 1.1% |
| Transferred | 2025 | 68.0% |
| Dropped Out | 882 | 29.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 68% |
| Black / African-American | 56% |
| Hawaiian | 73% |
| Hispanic | 57% |
| International | 65% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 56% |
| Unknown | 71% |
| White | 67% |
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 Texas Tech 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 students at Texas Tech University represent 56% of the students in the class of 2015, and 55.98% of Texas Tech bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 35%, first-time students in the Texas Tech class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Texas Tech graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | Texas Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 59% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 47.82% |
1688 first-time / full-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
1215 transferred to another institution.
Texas Tech lost contact with the remaining 434 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 2.01% |
| Transferred | 1215 | 71.98% |
| Dropped Out | 434 | 25.71% |
First-time / part-time students at Texas Tech University represent 0.76% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 25%, first-time, part-time students in the Texas 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 32%.
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 | Texas Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 23.72% |
40 first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
Texas Tech lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.50% |
| Transferred | 23 | 57.50% |
| Dropped Out | 16 | 40.00% |
2962 Texas Tech students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 37.41% 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 64%, 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 65%.
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 | Texas Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 64% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 55.07% |
1021 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
23 are still enrolled.
661 transferred to another institution.
Texas Tech lost contact with the remaining 337 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 23 | 2.25% |
| Transferred | 661 | 64.74% |
| Dropped Out | 337 | 33.01% |
425 Texas Tech students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 5.37% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 42%, 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 46%.
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 | Texas Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 37.80% |
228 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
126 transferred to another institution.
Texas Tech lost contact with the remaining 95 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 3.07% |
| Transferred | 126 | 55.26% |
| Dropped Out | 95 | 41.67% |
