by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Alabama 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Alabama State has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Alabama State | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
There were approximately 411 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 30% 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 Alabama State graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 225 | 15% |
| Six Years | 411 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 23 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1034 | 70% |
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 1034 students or 70% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1034 students who did not complete their degree?
26 are still enrolled.
519 transferred to another institution.
Alabama State lost contact with the remaining 491 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 2.5% |
| Transferred | 519 | 50.2% |
| Dropped Out | 491 | 47.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 100% |
| Black / African-American | 29% |
| Hispanic | 60% |
| International | 71% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 29% |
| White | 38% |
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 Alabama 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 Alabama State University represent 83.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Alabama State graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Alabama State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 27% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 47.82% |
873 first-time / full-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
432 transferred to another institution.
Alabama State lost contact with the remaining 420 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 2.41% |
| Transferred | 432 | 49.48% |
| Dropped Out | 420 | 48.11% |
First-time / part-time students at Alabama State University represent 1.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Alabama State graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | Alabama State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
18 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
Alabama State lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 11.11% |
| Transferred | 6 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 55.56% |
Returning / full-time students at Alabama State University represent 14.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Alabama State graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Alabama State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 55.07% |
129 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
72 transferred to another institution.
Alabama State lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 72 | 55.81% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 43.41% |
Returning / part-time students at Alabama State University represent 1.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Alabama State 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Alabama State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
14 non 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.
9 transferred to another institution.
Alabama State lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 9 | 64.29% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 35.71% |
