by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Missouri State West Plains 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 Missouri State West Plains. 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 62% students making it past their freshmen year, Missouri State West Plains 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Missouri State West Plains | 62% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
Of the 181 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 27% 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 West Plains graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 170 | 24% |
| Six Years | 181 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 4 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 511 | 73% |
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 511 students or 73% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 511 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
177 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State West Plains lost contact with the remaining 329 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 177 | 34.6% |
| Dropped Out | 329 | 64.4% |
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 West Plains are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Missouri State University-West Plains represent 59.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State West Plains graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 West Plains | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 47.82% |
281 first-time / full-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
103 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State West Plains lost contact with the remaining 175 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.07% |
| Transferred | 103 | 36.65% |
| Dropped Out | 175 | 62.28% |
First-time / part-time students at Missouri State University-West Plains represent 17.47% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State West Plains graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 12% 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 West Plains | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 23.72% |
108 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
13 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State West Plains lost contact with the remaining 94 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.93% |
| Transferred | 13 | 12.04% |
| Dropped Out | 94 | 87.04% |
Returning / full-time students at Missouri State University-West Plains represent 13.07% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State West Plains graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 West Plains | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 32% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 55.07% |
63 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
33 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State West Plains lost contact with the remaining 29 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.59% |
| Transferred | 33 | 52.38% |
| Dropped Out | 29 | 46.03% |
Returning / part-time students at Missouri State University-West Plains represent 10.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Missouri State West Plains 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Missouri State West Plains | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 17% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
59 non 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.
28 transferred to another institution.
Missouri State West Plains lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 28 | 47.46% |
| Dropped Out | 31 | 52.54% |
