by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Bluefield College 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 61% students making it past their freshmen year, Bluefield College 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Bluefield College | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
How many of the estimated 212 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 Bluefield College graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 188 | 40% |
| Six Years | 212 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 1 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 257 | 55% |
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 257 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 257 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
60 transferred to another institution.
Bluefield College lost contact with the remaining 196 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 60 | 23.3% |
| Dropped Out | 196 | 76.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 15% |
| Hispanic | 18% |
| International | 29% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 13% |
| White | 39% |
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 Bluefield College 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 Bluefield University represent 38.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bluefield College graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Bluefield College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 47.82% |
124 first-time / full-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
Bluefield College lost contact with the remaining 72 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 52 | 41.94% |
| Dropped Out | 72 | 58.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Bluefield University represent 2.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bluefield College 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Bluefield College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 30% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
7 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.
1 transferred to another institution.
Bluefield College lost contact with the remaining 6 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 14.29% |
| Dropped Out | 6 | 85.71% |
Returning / full-time students at Bluefield University represent 41.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bluefield College graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | Bluefield College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 62% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 55.07% |
74 non first-time / part-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
Bluefield College lost contact with the remaining 67 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 6 | 8.11% |
| Dropped Out | 67 | 90.54% |
Returning / part-time students at Bluefield University represent 16.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bluefield College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Bluefield College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 34% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 37.80% |
52 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Bluefield College lost contact with the remaining 51 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 1.92% |
| Dropped Out | 51 | 98.08% |
