by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Adams State 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 51% students making it past their freshmen year, Adams State 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 Colorado, the average is 70.70%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Adams State | 51% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Colorado | 70.70% |
There were approximately 333 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 37% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 42% 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 Adams State graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 306 | 37% |
| Six Years | 333 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 477 | 58% |
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 477 students or 58% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 477 students who did not complete their degree?
3 are still enrolled.
291 transferred to another institution.
Adams State lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 291 | 61.0% |
| Dropped Out | 179 | 37.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 12% |
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 28% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 5% |
| Unknown | 30% |
| White | 42% |
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 Adams State 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 Adams State University represent 55.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Adams State graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Adams State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 47.82% |
288 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
171 transferred to another institution.
Adams State lost contact with the remaining 113 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.39% |
| Transferred | 171 | 59.38% |
| Dropped Out | 113 | 39.24% |
First-time / part-time students at Adams State University represent 4.24% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Adams State graduation rate was 3%, and by the eight year mark, 6% 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 | Adams State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 3% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 6% | 23.72% |
33 first-time / part-time students or 94% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
13 transferred to another institution.
Adams State lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 13 | 39.39% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 60.61% |
Returning / full-time students at Adams State University represent 23.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Adams State graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | Adams State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 58% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 55.07% |
79 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
62 transferred to another institution.
Adams State lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.53% |
| Transferred | 62 | 78.48% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 18.99% |
Returning / part-time students at Adams State University represent 16.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Adams State 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Adams State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 43% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 37.80% |
77 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
45 transferred to another institution.
Adams State lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.30% |
| Transferred | 45 | 58.44% |
| Dropped Out | 31 | 40.26% |
