by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding M 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, M State has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| M State | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Minnesota | 67.05% |
Of the 809 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% 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 M State graduation rate 39%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 742 | 36% |
| Six Years | 809 | 39% |
| Eight Years | 22 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1245 | 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 1245 students or 60% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1245 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
490 transferred to another institution.
M State lost contact with the remaining 731 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 490 | 39.4% |
| Dropped Out | 731 | 58.7% |
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 M State 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 Minnesota State Community and Technical College represent 39.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the M State graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | M State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
447 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
150 transferred to another institution.
M State lost contact with the remaining 292 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.12% |
| Transferred | 150 | 33.56% |
| Dropped Out | 292 | 65.32% |
First-time / part-time students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College represent 21.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the M State graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | M State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
340 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
116 transferred to another institution.
M State lost contact with the remaining 212 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 3.53% |
| Transferred | 116 | 34.12% |
| Dropped Out | 212 | 62.35% |
Returning / full-time students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College represent 20.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the M State graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | M State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 48% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 55.07% |
220 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
99 transferred to another institution.
M State lost contact with the remaining 121 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 99 | 45.00% |
| Dropped Out | 121 | 55.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College represent 18.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the M State graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | M State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 36% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
238 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
125 transferred to another institution.
M State lost contact with the remaining 106 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 125 | 52.52% |
| Dropped Out | 106 | 44.54% |
