by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UMCP 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 95% students making it past their freshmen year, UMCP 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UMCP | 95% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
There were approximately 6,311 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
66% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 82% in six years, and 83% in eight years.
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 UMCP graduation rate 82%.
The average UMCP student takes 4.22 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5,237 | 68% |
| Six Years | 6,311 | 82% |
| Eight Years | 68 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,310 | 17% |
Approximately 1310 students or 17% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1310 students who did not complete their degree?
10 are still enrolled.
725 transferred to another institution.
UMCP lost contact with the remaining 566 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 0.8% |
| Transferred | 725 | 55.3% |
| Dropped Out | 566 | 43.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 75% |
| Asian | 89% |
| Black / African-American | 83% |
| Hawaiian | 86% |
| Hispanic | 81% |
| International | 85% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 89% |
| Unknown | 95% |
| White | 88% |
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 UMCP 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 Maryland - College Park represent 63% of the students in the class of 2015, and 65.19% of UMCP bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 66%, first-time students in the UMCP class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the UMCP graduation rate was 85%, and by the eight year mark, 85% 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 | UMCP | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 66% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 85% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 85% | 47.82% |
708 first-time / full-time students or 15% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
402 transferred to another institution.
UMCP lost contact with the remaining 294 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 402 | 56.78% |
| Dropped Out | 294 | 41.53% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Maryland - College Park represent 2.44% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 67%, first-time, part-time students in the UMCP class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 68%.
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 | UMCP | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 67% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 23.72% |
60 first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
UMCP lost contact with the remaining 39 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 21 | 35.00% |
| Dropped Out | 39 | 65.00% |
2355 UMCP students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 30.60% 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 81%, 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 81%.
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 | UMCP | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 81% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 81% | 55.07% |
444 non first-time / part-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
250 transferred to another institution.
UMCP lost contact with the remaining 187 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.58% |
| Transferred | 250 | 56.31% |
| Dropped Out | 187 | 42.12% |
280 UMCP students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 3.64% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 63%, 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 65%.
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 | UMCP | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 63% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 37.80% |
98 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
UMCP lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 52 | 53.06% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 46.94% |
