by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at AIU Online? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 28% students making it past their freshmen year, AIU Online has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| AIU Online | 28% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 2,246 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 17% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 22% of the students had graduated and after eight years 22% 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 AIU Online graduation rate 22%.
The average length of time it takes an AIU Online undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.24 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2,012 | 19% |
| Six Years | 2,246 | 22% |
| Eight Years | 55 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 8,092 | 78% |
Approximately 8092 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 8092 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
3418 transferred to another institution.
AIU Online lost contact with the remaining 4630 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3418 | 42.2% |
| Dropped Out | 4,630 | 57.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 29% |
| Black / African-American | 14% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 14% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 10% |
| White | 21% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 AIU Online 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 American InterContinental University - Online represent 15% of the students in the class of 2015, and 12.60% of AIU Online bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 17%, first-time students in the AIU Online class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the AIU Online graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | AIU Online | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 18% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 47.82% |
1247 first-time / full-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
436 transferred to another institution.
AIU Online lost contact with the remaining 803 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.08% |
| Transferred | 436 | 34.96% |
| Dropped Out | 803 | 64.39% |
First-time / part-time students at American InterContinental University - Online represent 11.23% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 12%, first-time, part-time students in the AIU Online class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 12%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | AIU Online | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 23.72% |
1025 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
341 transferred to another institution.
AIU Online lost contact with the remaining 681 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.29% |
| Transferred | 341 | 33.27% |
| Dropped Out | 681 | 66.44% |
4308 AIU Online students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 41.45% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 29%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 30%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | AIU Online | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
3024 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
1408 transferred to another institution.
AIU Online lost contact with the remaining 1591 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 0.83% |
| Transferred | 1408 | 46.56% |
| Dropped Out | 1,591 | 52.61% |
3379 AIU Online students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 32.51% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 17%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 17%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | AIU Online | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 17% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
2796 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
1233 transferred to another institution.
AIU Online lost contact with the remaining 1555 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 0.29% |
| Transferred | 1233 | 44.10% |
| Dropped Out | 1,555 | 55.62% |
