by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CNU 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 CNU. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 81% students making it past their freshmen year, CNU 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CNU | 81% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
How many of the estimated 1068 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 69% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 76% of the students had graduated and after eight years 76% 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 CNU graduation rate 76%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 974 | 69% |
| Six Years | 1068 | 76% |
| Eight Years | 6 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 335 | 24% |
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 335 students or 24% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 335 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
289 transferred to another institution.
CNU lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.3% |
| Transferred | 289 | 86.3% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 13.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 85% |
| Black / African-American | 66% |
| Hispanic | 81% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 77% |
| Unknown | 85% |
| White | 75% |
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 CNU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Christopher Newport University represent 87.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNU graduation rate was 76%, and by the eight year mark, 76% 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 | CNU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 69% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 76% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 76% | 47.82% |
289 first-time / full-time students or 24% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
247 transferred to another institution.
CNU lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 247 | 85.47% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 14.53% |
We don’t have data for this cohort at Christopher Newport University.
Returning / full-time students at Christopher Newport University represent 12.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNU graduation rate was 75%, and by the eight year mark, 76% 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 | CNU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 75% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 76% | 55.07% |
41 non first-time / part-time students or 24% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
37 transferred to another institution.
CNU lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 37 | 90.24% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 9.76% |
Returning / part-time students at Christopher Newport University represent 0.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNU graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | CNU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 44% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
5 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
CNU lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
