by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding CSUN 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, CSUN 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 | |
|---|---|
| CSUN | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 6648 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 51% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 69% of the students had graduated and after eight years 72% 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 CSUN graduation rate 69%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4931 | 51% |
| Six Years | 6648 | 69% |
| Eight Years | 265 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2716 | 28% |
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 2716 students or 28% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2716 students who did not complete their degree?
91 are still enrolled.
1253 transferred to another institution.
CSUN lost contact with the remaining 1350 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 91 | 3.4% |
| Transferred | 1253 | 46.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1350 | 49.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 60% |
| Asian | 66% |
| Black / African-American | 47% |
| Hawaiian | 67% |
| Hispanic | 52% |
| International | 49% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 57% |
| Unknown | 59% |
| White | 74% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 CSUN 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-Northridge represent 46.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUN 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 | CSUN | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 47.82% |
1762 first-time / full-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
91 are still enrolled.
837 transferred to another institution.
CSUN lost contact with the remaining 834 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 91 | 5.16% |
| Transferred | 837 | 47.50% |
| Dropped Out | 834 | 47.33% |
First-time / part-time students at California State University-Northridge represent 0.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUN graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | CSUN | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 32% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 23.72% |
46 first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
CSUN lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 23 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 47.83% |
Returning / full-time students at California State University-Northridge represent 36.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUN graduation rate was 85%, and by the eight year mark, 86% 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 | CSUN | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 85% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 86% | 55.07% |
513 non first-time / part-time students or 14% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
235 transferred to another institution.
CSUN lost contact with the remaining 264 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 2.73% |
| Transferred | 235 | 45.81% |
| Dropped Out | 264 | 51.46% |
Returning / part-time students at California State University-Northridge represent 15.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUN graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 74% 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 | CSUN | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 66% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 73% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 74% | 37.80% |
395 non first-time / part-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
158 transferred to another institution.
CSUN lost contact with the remaining 230 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.77% |
| Transferred | 158 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 230 | 58.23% |
