by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding GMU 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 86% students making it past their freshmen year, GMU 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GMU | 86% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
How many of the estimated 5346 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 59% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 74% of the students had graduated and after eight years 76% 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 GMU graduation rate 74%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4280 | 59% |
| Six Years | 5346 | 74% |
| Eight Years | 167 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1699 | 24% |
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 1699 students or 24% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1699 students who did not complete their degree?
45 are still enrolled.
992 transferred to another institution.
GMU lost contact with the remaining 623 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 45 | 2.6% |
| Transferred | 992 | 58.4% |
| Dropped Out | 623 | 36.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 76% |
| Black / African-American | 63% |
| Hispanic | 63% |
| International | 74% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 64% |
| Unknown | 69% |
| White | 70% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 GMU 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 George Mason University represent 44.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GMU graduation rate was 70%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | GMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 70% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 47.82% |
857 first-time / full-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
45 are still enrolled.
530 transferred to another institution.
GMU lost contact with the remaining 282 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 45 | 5.25% |
| Transferred | 530 | 61.84% |
| Dropped Out | 282 | 32.91% |
First-time / part-time students at George Mason University represent 0.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GMU graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | GMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 33% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 23.72% |
20 first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
11 transferred to another institution.
GMU lost contact with the remaining 7 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 10.00% |
| Transferred | 11 | 55.00% |
| Dropped Out | 7 | 35.00% |
Returning / full-time students at George Mason University represent 40.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GMU graduation rate was 82%, and by the eight year mark, 83% 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 | GMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 82% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 83% | 55.07% |
486 non first-time / part-time students or 17% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
274 transferred to another institution.
GMU lost contact with the remaining 194 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 3.70% |
| Transferred | 274 | 56.38% |
| Dropped Out | 194 | 39.92% |
Returning / part-time students at George Mason University represent 14.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GMU graduation rate was 64%, and by the eight year mark, 67% 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 | GMU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 64% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 37.80% |
336 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
177 transferred to another institution.
GMU lost contact with the remaining 140 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 5.65% |
| Transferred | 177 | 52.68% |
| Dropped Out | 140 | 41.67% |
