by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Full Sail University 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 53% students making it past their freshmen year, Full Sail University 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 Florida, the average is 70.38%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 53% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Florida | 70.38% |
How many of the estimated 4672 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 49% of the students had graduated and after eight years 49% 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 Full Sail University graduation rate 49%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4351 | 45% |
| Six Years | 4672 | 49% |
| Eight Years | 16 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 4926 | 51% |
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 4926 students or 51% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4926 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
189 transferred to another institution.
Full Sail University lost contact with the remaining 4737 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 189 | 3.8% |
| Dropped Out | 4737 | 96.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 45% |
| Asian | 77% |
| Black / African-American | 38% |
| Hawaiian | 46% |
| Hispanic | 57% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 43% |
| Unknown | 48% |
| White | 53% |
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 Full Sail University are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Full Sail University represent 47.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Full Sail University graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | Full Sail University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 47.82% |
2214 first-time / full-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
111 transferred to another institution.
Full Sail University lost contact with the remaining 2103 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 111 | 5.01% |
| Dropped Out | 2103 | 94.99% |
At this time we lack data for this cohort at Full Sail University.
Returning / full-time students at Full Sail University represent 52.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Full Sail University graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | Full Sail University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 55.07% |
2712 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
78 transferred to another institution.
Full Sail University lost contact with the remaining 2634 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 78 | 2.88% |
| Dropped Out | 2634 | 97.12% |
We don’t have data for this cohort at Full Sail University.
