by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many ISU 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 ISU. 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, ISU 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 Idaho, the average is 77.33%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| ISU | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Idaho | 77.33% |
How many of the estimated 1070 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 33% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 44% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 ISU graduation rate 44%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 789 | 33% |
| Six Years | 1070 | 44% |
| Eight Years | 63 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 1282 | 53% |
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 1282 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1282 students who did not complete their degree?
23 are still enrolled.
572 transferred to another institution.
ISU lost contact with the remaining 672 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 23 | 1.8% |
| Transferred | 572 | 44.6% |
| Dropped Out | 672 | 52.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 13% |
| Asian | 69% |
| Black / African-American | 14% |
| Hawaiian | 22% |
| Hispanic | 32% |
| International | 57% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 36% |
| Unknown | 47% |
| White | 39% |
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 ISU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Idaho State University represent 65.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ISU graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | ISU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
884 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
26 are still enrolled.
381 transferred to another institution.
ISU lost contact with the remaining 477 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 381 | 43.10% |
| Dropped Out | 477 | 53.96% |
First-time / part-time students at Idaho State University represent 6.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ISU graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | ISU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
129 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
35 transferred to another institution.
ISU lost contact with the remaining 92 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.55% |
| Transferred | 35 | 27.13% |
| Dropped Out | 92 | 71.32% |
Returning / full-time students at Idaho State University represent 19.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ISU graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | ISU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 62% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 55.07% |
173 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
100 transferred to another institution.
ISU lost contact with the remaining 68 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.89% |
| Transferred | 100 | 57.80% |
| Dropped Out | 68 | 39.31% |
Returning / part-time students at Idaho State University represent 8.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ISU graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | ISU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 37.80% |
96 non first-time / part-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
56 transferred to another institution.
ISU lost contact with the remaining 35 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 5.21% |
| Transferred | 56 | 58.33% |
| Dropped Out | 35 | 36.46% |
