by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Millersville 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 Millersville. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
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, Millersville 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Millersville | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
How many of the estimated 1255 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 42% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 56% of the students had graduated and after eight years 57% 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 Millersville graduation rate 56%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 940 | 42% |
| Six Years | 1255 | 56% |
| Eight Years | 30 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 959 | 43% |
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 959 students or 43% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 959 students who did not complete their degree?
11 are still enrolled.
515 transferred to another institution.
Millersville lost contact with the remaining 419 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.1% |
| Transferred | 515 | 53.7% |
| Dropped Out | 419 | 43.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 46% |
| Black / African-American | 34% |
| Hispanic | 51% |
| International | 62% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 58% |
| White | 59% |
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 Millersville 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 Millersville University of Pennsylvania represent 60.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Millersville graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | Millersville | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
572 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
329 transferred to another institution.
Millersville lost contact with the remaining 231 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 2.10% |
| Transferred | 329 | 57.52% |
| Dropped Out | 231 | 40.38% |
First-time / part-time students at Millersville University of Pennsylvania represent 1.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Millersville graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | Millersville | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
20 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
Millersville lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 5.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 25.00% |
| Dropped Out | 14 | 70.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Millersville University of Pennsylvania represent 26.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Millersville graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 61% 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 | Millersville | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 59% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 55.07% |
231 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
118 transferred to another institution.
Millersville lost contact with the remaining 105 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.46% |
| Transferred | 118 | 51.08% |
| Dropped Out | 105 | 45.45% |
Returning / part-time students at Millersville University of Pennsylvania represent 12.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Millersville graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | Millersville | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 37.80% |
136 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
Millersville lost contact with the remaining 69 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 63 | 46.32% |
| Dropped Out | 69 | 50.74% |
