by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Brenau first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Brenau. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 65% students making it past their freshmen year, Brenau has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Georgia, the average is 65.40%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Brenau | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
There were approximately 269 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 28% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 36% 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 Brenau graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 219 | 28% |
| Six Years | 269 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 498 | 64% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 498 students or 64% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 498 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
255 transferred to another institution.
Brenau lost contact with the remaining 243 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 255 | 51.2% |
| Dropped Out | 243 | 48.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 43% |
| Black / African-American | 29% |
| Hispanic | 54% |
| International | 100% |
| Unknown | 20% |
| White | 40% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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.
A meaningful share of students at Brenau are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Brenau University represent 21.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Brenau graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Brenau | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
90 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
61 transferred to another institution.
Brenau lost contact with the remaining 29 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 61 | 67.78% |
| Dropped Out | 29 | 32.22% |
First-time / part-time students at Brenau University represent 8.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Brenau graduation rate was 4%, and by the eight year mark, 4% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Brenau | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 4% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 4% | 23.72% |
66 first-time / part-time students or 96% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
Brenau lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 20 | 30.30% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 69.70% |
Returning / full-time students at Brenau University represent 25.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Brenau graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 51% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Brenau | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 49% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 55.07% |
99 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
Brenau lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 53 | 53.54% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 46.46% |
Returning / part-time students at Brenau University represent 43.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Brenau graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 28% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Brenau | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 28% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 37.80% |
243 non first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
121 transferred to another institution.
Brenau lost contact with the remaining 122 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 121 | 49.79% |
| Dropped Out | 122 | 50.21% |
