by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many UWM 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 UWM. 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, UWM 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 Wisconsin, the average is 74.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UWM | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Wisconsin | 74.47% |
There were approximately 2843 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 34% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 51% of the students had graduated and after eight years 54% 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 UWM graduation rate 51%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1873 | 34% |
| Six Years | 2843 | 51% |
| Eight Years | 136 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2545 | 46% |
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 2545 students or 46% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2545 students who did not complete their degree?
51 are still enrolled.
1397 transferred to another institution.
UWM lost contact with the remaining 1067 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 51 | 2.0% |
| Transferred | 1397 | 54.9% |
| Dropped Out | 1067 | 41.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 42% |
| Asian | 58% |
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 47% |
| International | 59% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 49% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 53% |
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 UWM 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 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represent 57.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UWM graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | UWM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 48% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
1575 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
53 are still enrolled.
919 transferred to another institution.
UWM lost contact with the remaining 603 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 53 | 3.37% |
| Transferred | 919 | 58.35% |
| Dropped Out | 603 | 38.29% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represent 1.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UWM graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | UWM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
41 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
17 transferred to another institution.
UWM lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 4.88% |
| Transferred | 17 | 41.46% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 53.66% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represent 33.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UWM graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | UWM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 61% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 55.07% |
700 non first-time / part-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
23 are still enrolled.
352 transferred to another institution.
UWM lost contact with the remaining 325 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 23 | 3.29% |
| Transferred | 352 | 50.29% |
| Dropped Out | 325 | 46.43% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represent 8.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UWM graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | UWM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 45% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
229 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
UWM lost contact with the remaining 117 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.31% |
| Transferred | 109 | 47.60% |
| Dropped Out | 117 | 51.09% |
