by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Missouri 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 77% students making it past their freshmen year, Missouri 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Missouri State | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
How many of the estimated 3254 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 58% of the students had graduated and after eight years 59% 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 Missouri State graduation rate 58%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2515 | 45% |
| Six Years | 3254 | 58% |
| Eight Years | 79 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2270 | 41% |
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 2270 students or 41% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2270 students who did not complete their degree?
145 are still enrolled.
1451 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State lost contact with the remaining 714 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 145 | 6.4% |
| Transferred | 1451 | 63.9% |
| Dropped Out | 714 | 31.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 80% |
| Asian | 64% |
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hispanic | 49% |
| International | 69% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 39% |
| Unknown | 70% |
| White | 60% |
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 Missouri State 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 Missouri State University-Springfield represent 57.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 59% 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 | Missouri State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 58% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 47.82% |
1309 first-time / full-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
77 are still enrolled.
899 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State lost contact with the remaining 333 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 77 | 5.88% |
| Transferred | 899 | 68.68% |
| Dropped Out | 333 | 25.44% |
First-time / part-time students at Missouri State University-Springfield represent 0.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | Missouri State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
39 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
25 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 25 | 64.10% |
| Dropped Out | 14 | 35.90% |
Returning / full-time students at Missouri State University-Springfield represent 34.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State graduation rate was 63%, and by the eight year mark, 64% 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 | Missouri State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 63% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 64% | 55.07% |
704 non first-time / part-time students or 36% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
423 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State lost contact with the remaining 262 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.70% |
| Transferred | 423 | 60.09% |
| Dropped Out | 262 | 37.22% |
Returning / part-time students at Missouri State University-Springfield represent 6.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Missouri State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
218 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
104 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State lost contact with the remaining 105 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 4.13% |
| Transferred | 104 | 47.71% |
| Dropped Out | 105 | 48.17% |
