by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Georgia State 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 80% students making it past their freshmen year, Georgia State 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 Georgia, the average is 65.40%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Georgia State | 80% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
Of the 3548 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 38% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 53% of the students had graduated and after eight years 56% 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 Georgia State graduation rate 53%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2555 | 38% |
| Six Years | 3548 | 53% |
| Eight Years | 189 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2941 | 44% |
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 2941 students or 44% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2941 students who did not complete their degree?
53 are still enrolled.
1671 transferred to another institution.
Georgia State lost contact with the remaining 1159 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 53 | 1.8% |
| Transferred | 1671 | 56.8% |
| Dropped Out | 1159 | 39.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 59% |
| Black / African-American | 53% |
| Hispanic | 55% |
| International | 54% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 51% |
| Unknown | 44% |
| White | 52% |
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.
The majority of students at Georgia State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Georgia State University represent 59.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Georgia State graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | Georgia State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 54% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 47.82% |
1703 first-time / full-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
71 are still enrolled.
992 transferred to another institution.
Georgia State lost contact with the remaining 640 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 71 | 4.17% |
| Transferred | 992 | 58.25% |
| Dropped Out | 640 | 37.58% |
First-time / part-time students at Georgia State University represent 2.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Georgia State graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | Georgia State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
126 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
Georgia State lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 6.35% |
| Transferred | 63 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 43.65% |
Returning / full-time students at Georgia State University represent 26.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Georgia State graduation rate was 63%, and by the eight year mark, 64% 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 | Georgia State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 63% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 64% | 55.07% |
639 non first-time / part-time students or 36% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
359 transferred to another institution.
Georgia State lost contact with the remaining 265 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.35% |
| Transferred | 359 | 56.18% |
| Dropped Out | 265 | 41.47% |
Returning / part-time students at Georgia State University represent 10.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Georgia State graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Georgia State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 31% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
473 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
257 transferred to another institution.
Georgia State lost contact with the remaining 199 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 3.59% |
| Transferred | 257 | 54.33% |
| Dropped Out | 199 | 42.07% |
