Luther Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Luther College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many Luther 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 Luther. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.

• Luther Retention Rate
• Luther Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Luther Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Luther Retention Rate

Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.

With 77% students making it past their freshmen year, Luther 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%.

Luther Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 409 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 64% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 74% 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 Luther graduation rate 74%.

Luther Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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.

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Luther Drop Out Rate

Approximately 146 students or 26% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 146 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 99 transferred to another institution.

• Luther lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.

Luther Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 Luther 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 Luther Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Luther College represent 93.69% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Luther graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 74% 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.

Luther First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Luther Drop Out Rates

134 first-time / full-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 92 transferred to another institution.

• Luther lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

We don’t have data for this cohort at Luther College.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Luther College represent 6.31% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Luther graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 66% 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.

Luther Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Luther Drop Out Rates

12 non first-time / part-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 7 transferred to another institution.

• Luther lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

At this time we lack data for this cohort at Luther College.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics
• Image Credit: By Prizm under License