by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Benedictine U 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 Benedictine U. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 66% students making it past their freshmen year, Benedictine U 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Benedictine U | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 709 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 52% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 59% of the students had graduated and after eight years 61% 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 Benedictine U graduation rate 59%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 615 | 52% |
| Six Years | 709 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 16 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 467 | 39% |
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 467 students or 39% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 467 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
293 transferred to another institution.
Benedictine U lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.2% |
| Transferred | 293 | 62.7% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 36.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 72% |
| Black / African-American | 39% |
| Hispanic | 43% |
| Unknown | 39% |
| White | 54% |
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 Benedictine U are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 Benedictine University represent 47.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Benedictine U graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | Benedictine U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 53% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 47.82% |
254 first-time / full-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
179 transferred to another institution.
Benedictine U lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.39% |
| Transferred | 179 | 70.47% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 29.13% |
First-time / part-time students at Benedictine University represent 0.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Benedictine U graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Benedictine U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
6 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Benedictine U lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 16.67% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 83.33% |
Returning / full-time students at Benedictine University represent 38.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Benedictine U graduation rate was 65%, and by the eight year mark, 66% 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 | Benedictine U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 65% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 66% | 55.07% |
155 non first-time / part-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
89 transferred to another institution.
Benedictine U lost contact with the remaining 65 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.65% |
| Transferred | 89 | 57.42% |
| Dropped Out | 65 | 41.94% |
Returning / part-time students at Benedictine University represent 14.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Benedictine U graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | Benedictine U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 65% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 68% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 37.80% |
52 non first-time / part-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Benedictine U lost contact with the remaining 26 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 3.85% |
| Transferred | 24 | 46.15% |
| Dropped Out | 26 | 50.00% |
