by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Missouri Western 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 Missouri Western. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 54% students making it past their freshmen year, Missouri Western 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Missouri Western | 54% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
Of the 578 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Missouri Western graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 400 | 29% |
| Six Years | 578 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 22 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 795 | 57% |
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 795 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 795 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
397 transferred to another institution.
Missouri Western lost contact with the remaining 392 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 397 | 49.9% |
| Dropped Out | 392 | 49.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 14% |
| Asian | 50% |
| Black / African-American | 24% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 37% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 29% |
| Unknown | 9% |
| White | 45% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Missouri Western are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Missouri Western State University represent 59.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri Western graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Missouri Western | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
482 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
241 transferred to another institution.
Missouri Western lost contact with the remaining 238 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.62% |
| Transferred | 241 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 238 | 49.38% |
First-time / part-time students at Missouri Western State University represent 7.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri Western graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Missouri Western | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
86 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
33 transferred to another institution.
Missouri Western lost contact with the remaining 52 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.16% |
| Transferred | 33 | 38.37% |
| Dropped Out | 52 | 60.47% |
Returning / full-time students at Missouri Western State University represent 27.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri Western graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | Missouri Western | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 55.07% |
175 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
99 transferred to another institution.
Missouri Western lost contact with the remaining 75 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.57% |
| Transferred | 99 | 56.57% |
| Dropped Out | 75 | 42.86% |
Returning / part-time students at Missouri Western State University represent 5.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri Western graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | Missouri Western | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 37.80% |
52 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Missouri Western lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.92% |
| Transferred | 24 | 46.15% |
| Dropped Out | 27 | 51.92% |
