by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding PFW 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, PFW 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 Indiana, the average is 70.89%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| PFW | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Indiana | 70.89% |
There were approximately 934 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 34% of the students had graduated and after eight years 36% 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 PFW graduation rate 34%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 649 | 24% |
| Six Years | 934 | 34% |
| Eight Years | 48 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1732 | 64% |
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 1732 students or 64% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1732 students who did not complete their degree?
25 are still enrolled.
1012 transferred to another institution.
PFW lost contact with the remaining 681 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 1.4% |
| Transferred | 1012 | 58.4% |
| Dropped Out | 681 | 39.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 40% |
| Black / African-American | 18% |
| Hispanic | 26% |
| International | 41% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 27% |
| White | 35% |
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.
The majority of students at PFW 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 Purdue University Fort Wayne represent 58.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the PFW graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | PFW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
997 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
551 transferred to another institution.
PFW lost contact with the remaining 421 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 2.51% |
| Transferred | 551 | 55.27% |
| Dropped Out | 421 | 42.23% |
First-time / part-time students at Purdue University Fort Wayne represent 4.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the PFW graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | PFW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
103 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
PFW lost contact with the remaining 57 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 3.88% |
| Transferred | 42 | 40.78% |
| Dropped Out | 57 | 55.34% |
Returning / full-time students at Purdue University Fort Wayne represent 23.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the PFW graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | PFW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 44% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 55.07% |
341 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
205 transferred to another institution.
PFW lost contact with the remaining 129 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.05% |
| Transferred | 205 | 60.12% |
| Dropped Out | 129 | 37.83% |
Returning / part-time students at Purdue University Fort Wayne represent 13.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the PFW graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | PFW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
291 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
214 transferred to another institution.
PFW lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.03% |
| Transferred | 214 | 73.54% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 25.43% |
