by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at CU - Boulder? 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 85% students making it past their freshmen year, CU - Boulder 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 Colorado, the average is 70.70%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CU - Boulder | 85% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Colorado | 70.70% |
There were approximately 5,078 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 67% of the students had graduated and after eight years 68% 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 CU - Boulder graduation rate 67%.
The average length of time it takes an CU - Boulder undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.38 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3,538 | 46% |
| Six Years | 5,078 | 67% |
| Eight Years | 135 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,402 | 32% |
Approximately 2402 students or 32% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2402 students who did not complete their degree?
31 are still enrolled.
1530 transferred to another institution.
CU - Boulder lost contact with the remaining 817 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 1.3% |
| Transferred | 1530 | 63.7% |
| Dropped Out | 817 | 34.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 65% |
| Asian | 72% |
| Black / African-American | 71% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 63% |
| International | 70% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 65% |
| Unknown | 55% |
| White | 75% |
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 CU - Boulder 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 University of Colorado Boulder represent 75% of the students in the class of 2015, and 77.41% of CU - Boulder bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 45%, first-time students in the CU - Boulder class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the CU - Boulder graduation rate was 69%, and by the eight year mark, 71% 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 | CU - Boulder | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 69% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 47.82% |
1682 first-time / full-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
1175 transferred to another institution.
CU - Boulder lost contact with the remaining 466 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 1.84% |
| Transferred | 1175 | 69.86% |
| Dropped Out | 466 | 27.71% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Colorado Boulder represent 0.52% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 28%, first-time, part-time students in the CU - Boulder class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 30%.
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 | CU - Boulder | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
28 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
CU - Boulder lost contact with the remaining 8 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 20 | 71.43% |
| Dropped Out | 8 | 28.57% |
1687 CU - Boulder students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 22.08% 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 | CU - Boulder | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 64% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 55.07% |
583 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
276 transferred to another institution.
CU - Boulder lost contact with the remaining 294 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.23% |
| Transferred | 276 | 47.34% |
| Dropped Out | 294 | 50.43% |
174 CU - Boulder students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 2.28% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 36%, 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 37%.
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 | CU - Boulder | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 36% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
109 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
59 transferred to another institution.
CU - Boulder lost contact with the remaining 49 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.92% |
| Transferred | 59 | 54.13% |
| Dropped Out | 49 | 44.95% |
