by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many LMU 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 LMU. 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, LMU 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| LMU | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
There were approximately 468 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 55% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 62% of the students had graduated and after eight years 63% 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 LMU graduation rate 62%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 414 | 55% |
| Six Years | 468 | 62% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 283 | 37% |
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 283 students or 37% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 283 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
168 transferred to another institution.
LMU lost contact with the remaining 115 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 168 | 59.4% |
| Dropped Out | 115 | 40.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 67% |
| Black / African-American | 11% |
| Hispanic | 57% |
| International | 50% |
| Unknown | 59% |
| White | 57% |
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 LMU are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Lincoln Memorial University represent 43.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LMU graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | LMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 52% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
152 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
94 transferred to another institution.
LMU lost contact with the remaining 58 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 94 | 61.84% |
| Dropped Out | 58 | 38.16% |
First-time / part-time students at Lincoln Memorial University represent 5.42% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LMU graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | LMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 34% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 23.72% |
27 first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
LMU lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 6 | 22.22% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 77.78% |
Returning / full-time students at Lincoln Memorial University represent 24.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LMU graduation rate was 77%, and by the eight year mark, 77% 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 | LMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 77% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 77% | 55.07% |
43 non first-time / part-time students or 23% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
LMU lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 23 | 53.49% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 46.51% |
Returning / part-time students at Lincoln Memorial University represent 26.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LMU graduation rate was 69%, and by the eight year mark, 70% 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 | LMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 64% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 69% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 37.80% |
61 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.
45 transferred to another institution.
LMU lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 45 | 73.77% |
| Dropped Out | 16 | 26.23% |
