by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding WSSU 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 77% students making it past their freshmen year, WSSU 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WSSU | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
How many of the estimated 1,288 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
After four years 20% of the cohort graduated. After six years 59% had completed their degree, and 60% after 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 WSSU graduation rate 59%.
The average length of time it takes an WSSU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.57 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1,000 | 46% |
| Six Years | 1,288 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 21 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 874 | 40% |
Approximately 874 students or 40% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 874 students who did not complete their degree?
5 are still enrolled.
498 transferred to another institution.
WSSU lost contact with the remaining 368 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 498 | 57.0% |
| Dropped Out | 368 | 42.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Black / African-American | 50% |
| Hispanic | 48% |
| International | 58% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 50% |
| Unknown | 55% |
| White | 38% |
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 WSSU 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 Winston - Salem State University represent 38% of the students in the class of 2015, and 31.29% of WSSU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 20%, first-time students in the WSSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the WSSU graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | WSSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 48% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
421 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
263 transferred to another institution.
WSSU lost contact with the remaining 157 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 263 | 62.47% |
| Dropped Out | 157 | 37.29% |
First-time / part-time students at Winston - Salem State University represent 0.69% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 20%, first-time, part-time students in the WSSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 20%.
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 | WSSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
12 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
WSSU lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 8.33% |
| Transferred | 2 | 16.67% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 75.00% |
649 WSSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 29.73% 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 63%, 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 64%.
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 | WSSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 63% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 64% | 55.07% |
236 non first-time / part-time students or 36% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
125 transferred to another institution.
WSSU lost contact with the remaining 105 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.54% |
| Transferred | 125 | 52.97% |
| Dropped Out | 105 | 44.49% |
685 WSSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 31.38% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 69%, 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 70%.
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 | WSSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 69% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 37.80% |
205 non first-time / part-time students or 30% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
WSSU lost contact with the remaining 97 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 108 | 52.68% |
| Dropped Out | 97 | 47.32% |
