by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Columbia 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 98% students making it past their freshmen year, Columbia 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Columbia | 98% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
There were approximately 2131 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 84% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 92% of the students had graduated and after eight years 94% 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 graduation rate 92%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1932 | 84% |
| Six Years | 2131 | 92% |
| Eight Years | 28 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 148 | 6% |
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 148 students or 6% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 148 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
Columbia lost contact with the remaining 116 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 4.1% |
| Transferred | 20 | 13.5% |
| Dropped Out | 116 | 78.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 88% |
| Asian | 98% |
| Black / African-American | 92% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 93% |
| International | 97% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 89% |
| Unknown | 100% |
| White | 94% |
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 Columbia 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 Columbia University in the City of New York represent 66.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia graduation rate was 95%, and by the eight year mark, 96% 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 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 88% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 95% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 96% | 47.82% |
61 first-time / full-time students or 4% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
Columbia lost contact with the remaining 40 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 9.84% |
| Transferred | 15 | 24.59% |
| Dropped Out | 40 | 65.57% |
First-time / part-time students at Columbia University in the City of New York represent 1.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia graduation rate was 71%, and by the eight year mark, 71% 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 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 71% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 23.72% |
7 first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Columbia lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 28.57% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 71.43% |
Returning / full-time students at Columbia University in the City of New York represent 24.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia graduation rate was 92%, and by the eight year mark, 93% 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 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 92% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 93% | 55.07% |
37 non first-time / part-time students or 7% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
Columbia lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 5.41% |
| Transferred | 3 | 8.11% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 86.49% |
Returning / part-time students at Columbia University in the City of New York represent 8.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 78% 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 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 52% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 74% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 78% | 37.80% |
43 non first-time / part-time students or 22% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
Columbia lost contact with the remaining 39 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 9.30% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 39 | 90.70% |
