by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Columbia Southern University 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, Columbia Southern University 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 Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Columbia Southern University | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
There were approximately 3598 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 37% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 44% of the students had graduated and after eight years 48% 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 Columbia Southern University graduation rate 44%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3002 | 37% |
| Six Years | 3598 | 44% |
| Eight Years | 336 | 4% |
| Did Not Complete | 4219 | 52% |
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 4219 students or 52% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4219 students who did not complete their degree?
16 are still enrolled.
155 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Southern University lost contact with the remaining 3853 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 0.4% |
| Transferred | 155 | 3.7% |
| Dropped Out | 3853 | 91.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 40% |
| Asian | 22% |
| Black / African-American | 31% |
| Hispanic | 27% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 42% |
| White | 42% |
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 Columbia Southern University are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Columbia Southern University represent 8.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Southern University graduation rate was 30%, 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 | Columbia Southern University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 30% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
448 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Southern University lost contact with the remaining 413 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 3.35% |
| Transferred | 20 | 4.46% |
| Dropped Out | 413 | 92.19% |
First-time / part-time students at Columbia Southern University represent 6.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Southern University graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Columbia Southern University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
427 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
38 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Southern University lost contact with the remaining 385 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 38 | 8.90% |
| Transferred | 4 | 0.94% |
| Dropped Out | 385 | 90.16% |
Returning / full-time students at Columbia Southern University represent 48.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Southern University graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Columbia Southern University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
1717 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
56 are still enrolled.
115 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Southern University lost contact with the remaining 1546 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 56 | 3.26% |
| Transferred | 115 | 6.70% |
| Dropped Out | 1546 | 90.04% |
Returning / part-time students at Columbia Southern University represent 36.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Southern University graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Columbia Southern University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 39% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 37.80% |
1627 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
102 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Southern University lost contact with the remaining 1509 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 102 | 6.27% |
| Transferred | 16 | 0.98% |
| Dropped Out | 1509 | 92.75% |
