by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many MACU 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 MACU. 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 65% students making it past their freshmen year, MACU 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 Oklahoma, the average is 65.20%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| MACU | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Oklahoma | 65.20% |
There were approximately 286 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 34% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 39% of the students had graduated and after eight years 40% 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 MACU graduation rate 39%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 247 | 34% |
| Six Years | 286 | 39% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 437 | 60% |
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 437 students or 60% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 437 students who did not complete their degree?
2 are still enrolled.
17 transferred to another institution.
MACU lost contact with the remaining 413 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 17 | 3.9% |
| Dropped Out | 413 | 94.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Black / African-American | 43% |
| Hispanic | 7% |
| International | 45% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 50% |
| White | 39% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at MACU are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 Mid-America Christian University represent 20.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MACU graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | MACU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
100 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
MACU lost contact with the remaining 93 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 5.00% |
| Dropped Out | 93 | 93.00% |
First-time / part-time students at Mid-America Christian University represent 8.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MACU graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | MACU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
53 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
MACU lost contact with the remaining 53 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 53 | 100.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Mid-America Christian University represent 47.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MACU graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | MACU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 55.07% |
167 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
8 transferred to another institution.
MACU lost contact with the remaining 157 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.20% |
| Transferred | 8 | 4.79% |
| Dropped Out | 157 | 94.01% |
Returning / part-time students at Mid-America Christian University represent 23.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MACU graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | MACU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
117 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
MACU lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.56% |
| Transferred | 4 | 3.42% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 94.02% |
