by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many NMSU Dona Ana 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 NMSU Dona Ana. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 63% students making it past their freshmen year, NMSU Dona Ana 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 New Mexico, the average is 62.90%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NMSU Dona Ana | 63% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Mexico | 62.90% |
There were approximately 488 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 21% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 24% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 NMSU Dona Ana graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 420 | 21% |
| Six Years | 488 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 40 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1499 | 74% |
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 1499 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1499 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
427 transferred to another institution.
NMSU Dona Ana lost contact with the remaining 1012 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 427 | 28.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1012 | 67.5% |
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 NMSU Dona Ana are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana represent 64.03% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NMSU Dona Ana graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | NMSU Dona Ana | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 25% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 47.82% |
954 first-time / full-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
43 are still enrolled.
261 transferred to another institution.
NMSU Dona Ana lost contact with the remaining 650 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 43 | 4.51% |
| Transferred | 261 | 27.36% |
| Dropped Out | 650 | 68.13% |
First-time / part-time students at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana represent 16.34% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NMSU Dona Ana graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | NMSU Dona Ana | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
279 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
50 transferred to another institution.
NMSU Dona Ana lost contact with the remaining 217 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 4.30% |
| Transferred | 50 | 17.92% |
| Dropped Out | 217 | 77.78% |
Returning / full-time students at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana represent 10.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NMSU Dona Ana graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | NMSU Dona Ana | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
132 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
57 transferred to another institution.
NMSU Dona Ana lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.76% |
| Transferred | 57 | 43.18% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 56.06% |
Returning / part-time students at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana represent 9.47% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NMSU Dona Ana graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | NMSU Dona Ana | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
134 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
59 transferred to another institution.
NMSU Dona Ana lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.99% |
| Transferred | 59 | 44.03% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 52.99% |
