by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Rutgers Newark 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 84% students making it past their freshmen year, Rutgers Newark 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 New Jersey, the average is 74.83%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Rutgers Newark | 84% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
Of the 1968 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 54% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 69% of the students had graduated and after eight years 71% 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 Rutgers Newark graduation rate 69%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1527 | 54% |
| Six Years | 1968 | 69% |
| Eight Years | 59 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 816 | 29% |
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 816 students or 29% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 816 students who did not complete their degree?
12 are still enrolled.
443 transferred to another institution.
Rutgers Newark lost contact with the remaining 355 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.5% |
| Transferred | 443 | 54.3% |
| Dropped Out | 355 | 43.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 78% |
| Black / African-American | 63% |
| Hawaiian | 67% |
| Hispanic | 60% |
| International | 74% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 59% |
| Unknown | 63% |
| White | 71% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at Rutgers Newark are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Rutgers University-Newark represent 48.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rutgers Newark graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | Rutgers Newark | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 66% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
430 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
267 transferred to another institution.
Rutgers Newark lost contact with the remaining 152 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.56% |
| Transferred | 267 | 62.09% |
| Dropped Out | 152 | 35.35% |
First-time / part-time students at Rutgers University-Newark represent 0.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rutgers Newark graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Rutgers Newark | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 30% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
7 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
Rutgers Newark lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 71.43% |
| Dropped Out | 2 | 28.57% |
Returning / full-time students at Rutgers University-Newark represent 42.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rutgers Newark graduation rate was 75%, and by the eight year mark, 76% 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 | Rutgers Newark | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 75% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 76% | 55.07% |
288 non first-time / part-time students or 24% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
134 transferred to another institution.
Rutgers Newark lost contact with the remaining 148 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 134 | 46.53% |
| Dropped Out | 148 | 51.39% |
Returning / part-time students at Rutgers University-Newark represent 8.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rutgers Newark graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | Rutgers Newark | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 53% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 61% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 37.80% |
91 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
37 transferred to another institution.
Rutgers Newark lost contact with the remaining 53 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.10% |
| Transferred | 37 | 40.66% |
| Dropped Out | 53 | 58.24% |
