by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding EWU 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, EWU 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 Washington, the average is 73.95%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| EWU | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Washington | 73.95% |
How many of the estimated 2030 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 41% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 57% of the students had graduated and after eight years 59% 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 EWU graduation rate 57%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1472 | 41% |
| Six Years | 2030 | 57% |
| Eight Years | 75 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1479 | 41% |
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 1479 students or 41% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1479 students who did not complete their degree?
32 are still enrolled.
827 transferred to another institution.
EWU lost contact with the remaining 610 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 32 | 2.2% |
| Transferred | 827 | 55.9% |
| Dropped Out | 610 | 41.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 55% |
| Black / African-American | 29% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 41% |
| International | 44% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 45% |
| Unknown | 53% |
| White | 50% |
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 EWU are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Eastern Washington University represent 48.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the EWU graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | EWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 49% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 47.82% |
848 first-time / full-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
509 transferred to another institution.
EWU lost contact with the remaining 317 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 2.59% |
| Transferred | 509 | 60.02% |
| Dropped Out | 317 | 37.38% |
First-time / part-time students at Eastern Washington University represent 1.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the EWU graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | EWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
26 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
EWU lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 16 | 61.54% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 38.46% |
Returning / full-time students at Eastern Washington University represent 41.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the EWU graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 68% 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 | EWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 66% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
477 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
240 transferred to another institution.
EWU lost contact with the remaining 226 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.31% |
| Transferred | 240 | 50.31% |
| Dropped Out | 226 | 47.38% |
Returning / part-time students at Eastern Washington University represent 8.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the EWU graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | EWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 55% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 37.80% |
128 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
62 transferred to another institution.
EWU lost contact with the remaining 57 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 7.03% |
| Transferred | 62 | 48.44% |
| Dropped Out | 57 | 44.53% |
