by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Del State 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 Del State. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Del State has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Delaware, the average is 73.50%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Del State | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Delaware | 73.50% |
Of the 577 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 Del State graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 507 | 40% |
| Six Years | 577 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 17 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 675 | 53% |
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 675 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 675 students who did not complete their degree?
442 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
Del State lost contact with the remaining 617 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 442 | 65.5% |
| Transferred | 53 | 7.9% |
| Dropped Out | 617 | 91.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 100% |
| Black / African-American | 36% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 34% |
| International | 71% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 43% |
| 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.
The majority of students at Del State 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 Delaware State University represent 76.54% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Del State graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Del State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
523 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
49 transferred to another institution.
Del State lost contact with the remaining 471 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.57% |
| Transferred | 49 | 9.37% |
| Dropped Out | 471 | 90.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Delaware State University represent 1.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Del State graduation rate was 4%, and by the eight year mark, 4% 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 | Del State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 4% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 4% | 23.72% |
22 first-time / part-time students or 96% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Del State lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.55% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 95.45% |
Returning / full-time students at Delaware State University represent 19.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Del State graduation rate was 55%, 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 | Del State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
106 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Del State lost contact with the remaining 103 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.94% |
| Transferred | 2 | 1.89% |
| Dropped Out | 103 | 97.17% |
Returning / part-time students at Delaware State University represent 2.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Del State graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | Del State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 27% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 37.80% |
24 non first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Del State lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 4.17% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.17% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 91.67% |
