by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CWI 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 CWI. 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 66% students making it past their freshmen year, CWI 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 Idaho, the average is 77.33%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CWI | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Idaho | 77.33% |
How many of the estimated 915 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 27% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 CWI graduation rate 27%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 796 | 24% |
| Six Years | 915 | 27% |
| Eight Years | 59 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2412 | 71% |
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 2412 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2412 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
832 transferred to another institution.
CWI lost contact with the remaining 1519 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 832 | 34.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1519 | 63.0% |
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 CWI 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 College of Western Idaho represent 34.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CWI graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | CWI | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
777 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
259 transferred to another institution.
CWI lost contact with the remaining 501 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 2.19% |
| Transferred | 259 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 501 | 64.48% |
First-time / part-time students at College of Western Idaho represent 31.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CWI graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | CWI | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
900 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
27 are still enrolled.
211 transferred to another institution.
CWI lost contact with the remaining 662 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 3.00% |
| Transferred | 211 | 23.44% |
| Dropped Out | 662 | 73.56% |
Returning / full-time students at College of Western Idaho represent 15.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CWI graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | CWI | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 44% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 55.07% |
290 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
153 transferred to another institution.
CWI lost contact with the remaining 128 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 3.10% |
| Transferred | 153 | 52.76% |
| Dropped Out | 128 | 44.14% |
Returning / part-time students at College of Western Idaho represent 18.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CWI graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | CWI | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 27% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 37.80% |
445 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
209 transferred to another institution.
CWI lost contact with the remaining 228 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.80% |
| Transferred | 209 | 46.97% |
| Dropped Out | 228 | 51.24% |
