by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Belmont 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 87% students making it past their freshmen year, Belmont 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Belmont | 87% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
How many of the estimated 1603 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 66% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 73% of the students had graduated and after eight years 73% 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 Belmont graduation rate 73%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1457 | 66% |
| Six Years | 1603 | 73% |
| Eight Years | 4 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 593 | 27% |
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 593 students or 27% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 593 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
377 transferred to another institution.
Belmont lost contact with the remaining 216 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 377 | 63.6% |
| Dropped Out | 216 | 36.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 75% |
| Asian | 79% |
| Black / African-American | 70% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 71% |
| International | 64% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 60% |
| Unknown | 66% |
| White | 72% |
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 Belmont 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 Belmont University represent 74.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Belmont graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Belmont | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 65% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 73% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 47.82% |
444 first-time / full-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
299 transferred to another institution.
Belmont lost contact with the remaining 145 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 299 | 67.34% |
| Dropped Out | 145 | 32.66% |
First-time / part-time students at Belmont University represent 0.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Belmont graduation rate was 14%, 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 | Belmont | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
6 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
Belmont lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 3 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 50.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Belmont University represent 22.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Belmont graduation rate was 78%, and by the eight year mark, 78% 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 | Belmont | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 78% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 78% | 55.07% |
108 non first-time / part-time students or 22% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
61 transferred to another institution.
Belmont lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 61 | 56.48% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 43.52% |
Returning / part-time students at Belmont University represent 2.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Belmont 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 | Belmont | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
35 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.
14 transferred to another institution.
Belmont lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 14 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 60.00% |
