by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at University of the People? 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 61% students making it past their freshmen year, University of the People 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| University of the People | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 71 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
19% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 21% in six years, and 24% in eight years.
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 University of the People graduation rate 21%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40 | 12% |
| Six Years | 71 | 21% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 264 | 76% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 University of the People are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at University of the People represent 53% of the students in the class of 2015, and 78.87% of University of the People bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 19%, first-time students in the University of the People class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the University of the People graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | University of the People | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
123 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
University of the People lost contact with the remaining 115 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 115 | 93.50% |
First-time / part-time students at University of the People represent 47.11% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 9%, first-time, part-time students in the University of the People class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 13%.
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 | University of the People | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 9% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
141 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
University of the People lost contact with the remaining 133 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 5.67% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 133 | 94.33% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on University of the People returning, part-time students.
