by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding K -State 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 86% students making it past their freshmen year, K -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 Kansas, the average is 65.77%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| K -State | 86% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kansas | 65.77% |
There were approximately 3573 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 46% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 65% of the students had graduated and after eight years 66% 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 K -State graduation rate 65%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2574 | 46% |
| Six Years | 3573 | 65% |
| Eight Years | 69 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1896 | 34% |
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 1896 students or 34% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1896 students who did not complete their degree?
11 are still enrolled.
1223 transferred to another institution.
K -State lost contact with the remaining 655 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 1223 | 64.5% |
| Dropped Out | 655 | 34.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 64% |
| Asian | 75% |
| Black / African-American | 46% |
| Hispanic | 57% |
| International | 56% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 61% |
| Unknown | 64% |
| White | 73% |
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 K -State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Kansas State University represent 65.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the K -State graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | K -State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 68% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
1105 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
732 transferred to another institution.
K -State lost contact with the remaining 361 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.09% |
| Transferred | 732 | 66.24% |
| Dropped Out | 361 | 32.67% |
First-time / part-time students at Kansas State University represent 2.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the K -State graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | K -State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 45% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 23.72% |
78 first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
60 transferred to another institution.
K -State lost contact with the remaining 17 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.28% |
| Transferred | 60 | 76.92% |
| Dropped Out | 17 | 21.79% |
Returning / full-time students at Kansas State University represent 26.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the K -State graduation rate was 64%, and by the eight year mark, 65% 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 | K -State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 64% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 55.07% |
510 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
306 transferred to another institution.
K -State lost contact with the remaining 201 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.59% |
| Transferred | 306 | 60.00% |
| Dropped Out | 201 | 39.41% |
Returning / part-time students at Kansas State University represent 5.94% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the K -State graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | K -State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 36% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 37.80% |
203 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
125 transferred to another institution.
K -State lost contact with the remaining 76 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.99% |
| Transferred | 125 | 61.58% |
| Dropped Out | 76 | 37.44% |
