by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many GSU 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 GSU. 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 56% students making it past their freshmen year, GSU 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GSU | 56% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 680 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 GSU graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 593 | 36% |
| Six Years | 680 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 24 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 934 | 57% |
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 934 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 934 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
462 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 455 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.1% |
| Transferred | 462 | 49.5% |
| Dropped Out | 455 | 48.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 25% |
| Black / African-American | 11% |
| Hispanic | 53% |
| International | 100% |
| White | 47% |
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 GSU 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 Governors State University represent 13.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSU graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 22% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 47.82% |
162 first-time / full-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
100 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 62 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 100 | 61.73% |
| Dropped Out | 62 | 38.27% |
At this time we lack data for this cohort at Governors State University.
Returning / full-time students at Governors State University represent 46.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSU graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 55.07% |
328 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
148 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 174 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.83% |
| Transferred | 148 | 45.12% |
| Dropped Out | 174 | 53.05% |
Returning / part-time students at Governors State University represent 40.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSU graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
444 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
214 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 219 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.48% |
| Transferred | 214 | 48.20% |
| Dropped Out | 219 | 49.32% |
