by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Wake Forest University 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 Wake Forest University. 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 93% students making it past their freshmen year, Wake Forest University 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wake Forest University | 93% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
There were approximately 1204 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 85% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 89% of the students had graduated and after eight years 90% 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 Wake Forest University graduation rate 89%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1144 | 85% |
| Six Years | 1204 | 89% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 137 | 10% |
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 137 students or 10% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 137 students who did not complete their degree?
2 are still enrolled.
94 transferred to another institution.
Wake Forest University lost contact with the remaining 40 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.5% |
| Transferred | 94 | 68.6% |
| Dropped Out | 40 | 29.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 98% |
| Black / African-American | 85% |
| Hispanic | 94% |
| International | 86% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 77% |
| White | 92% |
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 Wake Forest University 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 Wake Forest University represent 97.04% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wake Forest University graduation rate was 90%, and by the eight year mark, 90% 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 | Wake Forest University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 85% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 90% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 90% | 47.82% |
129 first-time / full-time students or 10% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
87 transferred to another institution.
Wake Forest University lost contact with the remaining 39 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.33% |
| Transferred | 87 | 67.44% |
| Dropped Out | 39 | 30.23% |
First-time / part-time students at Wake Forest University represent 0.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wake Forest University graduation rate was 0%, and by the eight year mark, 0% 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 | Wake Forest University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 0% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 0% | 23.72% |
2 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Wake Forest University lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Wake Forest University represent 2.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wake Forest University graduation rate was 84%, and by the eight year mark, 84% 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 | Wake Forest University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 84% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 84% | 55.07% |
6 non first-time / part-time students or 16% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
Wake Forest University lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 83.33% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 16.67% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data for this cohort at Wake Forest University.
