by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Fresno State 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 82% students making it past their freshmen year, Fresno State 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Fresno State | 82% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 4453 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 47% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 68% of the students had graduated and after eight years 71% 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 Fresno State graduation rate 68%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3126 | 47% |
| Six Years | 4453 | 68% |
| Eight Years | 211 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 1922 | 29% |
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 1922 students or 29% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1922 students who did not complete their degree?
63 are still enrolled.
1045 transferred to another institution.
Fresno State lost contact with the remaining 796 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 63 | 3.3% |
| Transferred | 1045 | 54.4% |
| Dropped Out | 796 | 41.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 52% |
| Black / African-American | 40% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 53% |
| International | 55% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 52% |
| Unknown | 61% |
| White | 67% |
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 Fresno State are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at California State University-Fresno represent 49.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fresno State graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 61% 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 | Fresno State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 47.82% |
1269 first-time / full-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
63 are still enrolled.
718 transferred to another institution.
Fresno State lost contact with the remaining 488 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 63 | 4.96% |
| Transferred | 718 | 56.58% |
| Dropped Out | 488 | 38.46% |
First-time / part-time students at California State University-Fresno represent 1.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fresno State graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | Fresno State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
70 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
Fresno State lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 5.71% |
| Transferred | 36 | 51.43% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 42.86% |
Returning / full-time students at California State University-Fresno represent 39.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fresno State graduation rate was 83%, and by the eight year mark, 84% 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 | Fresno State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 83% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 84% | 55.07% |
412 non first-time / part-time students or 16% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
202 transferred to another institution.
Fresno State lost contact with the remaining 201 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.18% |
| Transferred | 202 | 49.03% |
| Dropped Out | 201 | 48.79% |
Returning / part-time students at California State University-Fresno represent 9.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fresno State graduation rate was 69%, and by the eight year mark, 72% 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 | Fresno State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 60% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 69% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 72% | 37.80% |
171 non first-time / part-time students or 28% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
89 transferred to another institution.
Fresno State lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.92% |
| Transferred | 89 | 52.05% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 45.03% |
