by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many AUM 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 AUM. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 68% students making it past their freshmen year, AUM 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 Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| AUM | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
How many of the estimated 547 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 32% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 AUM graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 391 | 32% |
| Six Years | 547 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 25 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 640 | 53% |
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 640 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 640 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
371 transferred to another institution.
AUM lost contact with the remaining 258 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.9% |
| Transferred | 371 | 58.0% |
| Dropped Out | 258 | 40.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 33% |
| Black / African-American | 34% |
| Hispanic | 20% |
| International | 47% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 30% |
| Unknown | 67% |
| White | 37% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at AUM are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Auburn University at Montgomery represent 48.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AUM graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | AUM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
374 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
197 transferred to another institution.
AUM lost contact with the remaining 171 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.60% |
| Transferred | 197 | 52.67% |
| Dropped Out | 171 | 45.72% |
First-time / part-time students at Auburn University at Montgomery represent 3.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AUM graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | AUM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
41 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
AUM lost contact with the remaining 17 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 24 | 58.54% |
| Dropped Out | 17 | 41.46% |
Returning / full-time students at Auburn University at Montgomery represent 36.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AUM graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 61% 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 | AUM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 61% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 55.07% |
168 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
119 transferred to another institution.
AUM lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 119 | 70.83% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 27.98% |
Returning / part-time students at Auburn University at Montgomery represent 11.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AUM graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | AUM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 49% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 52% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 37.80% |
57 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
31 transferred to another institution.
AUM lost contact with the remaining 23 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 5.26% |
| Transferred | 31 | 54.39% |
| Dropped Out | 23 | 40.35% |
