by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many ETSU 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 ETSU. 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 76% students making it past their freshmen year, ETSU 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| ETSU | 76% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
How many of the estimated 2069 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 48% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 59% of the students had graduated and after eight years 60% 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 ETSU graduation rate 59%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1665 | 48% |
| Six Years | 2069 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 37 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1375 | 40% |
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 1375 students or 40% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1375 students who did not complete their degree?
16 are still enrolled.
787 transferred to another institution.
ETSU lost contact with the remaining 562 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 1.2% |
| Transferred | 787 | 57.2% |
| Dropped Out | 562 | 40.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 71% |
| Black / African-American | 27% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 34% |
| International | 70% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 35% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 54% |
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 ETSU 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 East Tennessee State University represent 56.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ETSU graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | ETSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 38% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 54% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 47.82% |
875 first-time / full-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
490 transferred to another institution.
ETSU lost contact with the remaining 369 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 1.83% |
| Transferred | 490 | 56.00% |
| Dropped Out | 369 | 42.17% |
First-time / part-time students at East Tennessee State University represent 0.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ETSU graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | ETSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
23 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
ETSU lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 4.35% |
| Transferred | 7 | 30.43% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 65.22% |
Returning / full-time students at East Tennessee State University represent 32.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ETSU graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | ETSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 55.07% |
315 non first-time / part-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
202 transferred to another institution.
ETSU lost contact with the remaining 106 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.22% |
| Transferred | 202 | 64.13% |
| Dropped Out | 106 | 33.65% |
Returning / part-time students at East Tennessee State University represent 10.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ETSU graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | ETSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 47% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 52% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 37.80% |
162 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
88 transferred to another institution.
ETSU lost contact with the remaining 72 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 88 | 54.32% |
| Dropped Out | 72 | 44.44% |
