by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to Mizzou after their first year? Are Mizzou students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 89% students making it past their freshmen year, Mizzou 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Mizzou | 89% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
There were approximately 5,341 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 44% 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.
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 Mizzou graduation rate 67%.
The typical Mizzou student takes 4.36 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3,722 | 47% |
| Six Years | 5,341 | 67% |
| Eight Years | 94 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,524 | 32% |
Approximately 2524 students or 32% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2524 students who did not complete their degree?
25 are still enrolled.
1834 transferred to another institution.
Mizzou lost contact with the remaining 665 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 1834 | 72.7% |
| Dropped Out | 665 | 26.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 78% |
| Asian | 79% |
| Black / African-American | 62% |
| Hispanic | 64% |
| International | 75% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 66% |
| Unknown | 76% |
| 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 Mizzou 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 Missouri - Columbia represent 76% of the students in the class of 2015, and 77.55% of Mizzou bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 44%, first-time students in the Mizzou class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Mizzou graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | Mizzou | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 68% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
1870 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
1491 transferred to another institution.
Mizzou lost contact with the remaining 361 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 1.34% |
| Transferred | 1491 | 79.73% |
| Dropped Out | 361 | 19.30% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Missouri - Columbia represent 1.23% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 38%, first-time, part-time students in the Mizzou class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 40%.
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 | Mizzou | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 38% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 23.72% |
59 first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
Mizzou lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.69% |
| Transferred | 36 | 61.02% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 37.29% |
1508 Mizzou students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 18.91% 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 68%, 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 68%.
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 | Mizzou | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 68% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
475 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
229 transferred to another institution.
Mizzou lost contact with the remaining 241 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.05% |
| Transferred | 229 | 48.21% |
| Dropped Out | 241 | 50.74% |
270 Mizzou students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 3.39% 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 55%.
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 | Mizzou | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 54% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 37.80% |
120 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
78 transferred to another institution.
Mizzou lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.83% |
| Transferred | 78 | 65.00% |
| Dropped Out | 41 | 34.17% |
