by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding University of West Georgia 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 78% students making it past their freshmen year, University of West Georgia 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 | |
|---|---|
| University of West Georgia | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
How many of the estimated 1712 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 University of West Georgia graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1167 | 31% |
| Six Years | 1712 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 80 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2016 | 53% |
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 2016 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2016 students who did not complete their degree?
26 are still enrolled.
1233 transferred to another institution.
University of West Georgia lost contact with the remaining 736 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 1.3% |
| Transferred | 1233 | 61.2% |
| Dropped Out | 736 | 36.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 40% |
| Asian | 23% |
| Black / African-American | 42% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 41% |
| International | 38% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 40% |
| Unknown | 33% |
| White | 45% |
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 University of West Georgia are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at University of West Georgia represent 66.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the University of West Georgia graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | University of West Georgia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
1392 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
891 transferred to another institution.
University of West Georgia lost contact with the remaining 468 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 2.37% |
| Transferred | 891 | 64.01% |
| Dropped Out | 468 | 33.62% |
First-time / part-time students at University of West Georgia represent 2.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the University of West Georgia graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | University of West Georgia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
75 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
University of West Georgia lost contact with the remaining 38 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.33% |
| Transferred | 36 | 48.00% |
| Dropped Out | 38 | 50.67% |
Returning / full-time students at University of West Georgia represent 22.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the University of West Georgia graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | University of West Georgia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
370 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
198 transferred to another institution.
University of West Georgia lost contact with the remaining 162 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.70% |
| Transferred | 198 | 53.51% |
| Dropped Out | 162 | 43.78% |
Returning / part-time students at University of West Georgia represent 8.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the University of West Georgia graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | University of West Georgia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 45% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 37.80% |
179 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
University of West Georgia lost contact with the remaining 68 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.68% |
| Transferred | 108 | 60.34% |
| Dropped Out | 68 | 37.99% |
