by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many DSU 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 DSU. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 67% students making it past their freshmen year, DSU 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 North Dakota, the average is 67.00%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| DSU | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Dakota | 67.00% |
Of the 213 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 47% 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 DSU graduation rate 47%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 165 | 36% |
| Six Years | 213 | 47% |
| Eight Years | 2 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 243 | 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 243 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 243 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
105 transferred to another institution.
DSU lost contact with the remaining 137 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 105 | 43.2% |
| Dropped Out | 137 | 56.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| International | 36% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 11% |
| Unknown | 14% |
| White | 51% |
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 DSU 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 Dickinson State University represent 40.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSU graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | DSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
103 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
40 transferred to another institution.
DSU lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 40 | 38.83% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 61.17% |
First-time / part-time students at Dickinson State University represent 2.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSU graduation rate was 8%, and by the eight year mark, 8% 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 | DSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 8% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 8% | 23.72% |
12 first-time / part-time students or 92% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
DSU lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 3 | 25.00% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 75.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Dickinson State University represent 39.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSU graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | DSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 55.07% |
82 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
41 transferred to another institution.
DSU lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 41 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 41 | 50.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Dickinson State University represent 17.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSU graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | DSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 38% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 37.80% |
46 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
DSU lost contact with the remaining 24 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 21 | 45.65% |
| Dropped Out | 24 | 52.17% |
