by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Iowa State 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 Iowa State. 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 88% students making it past their freshmen year, Iowa State 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 Iowa, the average is 68.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Iowa State | 88% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
There were approximately 6360 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 55% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 73% of the students had graduated and after eight years 74% 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 Iowa State graduation rate 73%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4765 | 55% |
| Six Years | 6360 | 73% |
| Eight Years | 89 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2242 | 26% |
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 2242 students or 26% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2242 students who did not complete their degree?
22 are still enrolled.
1515 transferred to another institution.
Iowa State lost contact with the remaining 684 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 1515 | 67.6% |
| Dropped Out | 684 | 30.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 77% |
| Black / African-American | 53% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 63% |
| International | 70% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 70% |
| Unknown | 80% |
| White | 77% |
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 Iowa State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Iowa State University represent 71.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa State graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 75% 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 | Iowa State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 51% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 74% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 47.82% |
1530 first-time / full-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
1085 transferred to another institution.
Iowa State lost contact with the remaining 414 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 2.03% |
| Transferred | 1085 | 70.92% |
| Dropped Out | 414 | 27.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Iowa State University represent 1.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa State graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | Iowa State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 31% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 53% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 23.72% |
71 first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
Iowa State lost contact with the remaining 19 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 52 | 73.24% |
| Dropped Out | 19 | 26.76% |
Returning / full-time students at Iowa State University represent 24.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa State graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Iowa State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 55.07% |
576 non first-time / part-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
336 transferred to another institution.
Iowa State lost contact with the remaining 230 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.74% |
| Transferred | 336 | 58.33% |
| Dropped Out | 230 | 39.93% |
Returning / part-time students at Iowa State University represent 1.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa State graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | Iowa State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 55% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 37.80% |
65 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
Iowa State lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 3.08% |
| Transferred | 42 | 64.62% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 32.31% |
