by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding CSM 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 66% students making it past their freshmen year, CSM 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CSM | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
How many of the estimated 872 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 22% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% 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 CSM graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 745 | 22% |
| Six Years | 872 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 65 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2411 | 72% |
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 2411 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2411 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1175 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 1195 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1175 | 48.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1195 | 49.6% |
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 CSM 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 College of Southern Maryland represent 39.04% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSM graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 39% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 47.82% |
774 first-time / full-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
319 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 441 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.81% |
| Transferred | 319 | 41.21% |
| Dropped Out | 441 | 56.98% |
First-time / part-time students at College of Southern Maryland represent 30.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSM graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
819 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
290 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 508 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 2.56% |
| Transferred | 290 | 35.41% |
| Dropped Out | 508 | 62.03% |
Returning / full-time students at College of Southern Maryland represent 8.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSM graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 31% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 55.07% |
192 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
131 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 60 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.52% |
| Transferred | 131 | 68.23% |
| Dropped Out | 60 | 31.25% |
Returning / part-time students at College of Southern Maryland represent 22.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSM graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
626 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
435 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 186 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.80% |
| Transferred | 435 | 69.49% |
| Dropped Out | 186 | 29.71% |
