by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding NC A&T 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 78% students making it past their freshmen year, NC A&T 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NC A&T | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
How many of the estimated 1715 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 39% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 57% of the students had graduated and after eight years 58% 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 NC A&T graduation rate 57%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1169 | 39% |
| Six Years | 1715 | 57% |
| Eight Years | 55 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1263 | 42% |
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 1263 students or 42% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1263 students who did not complete their degree?
14 are still enrolled.
702 transferred to another institution.
NC A&T lost contact with the remaining 543 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.1% |
| Transferred | 702 | 55.6% |
| Dropped Out | 543 | 43.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 36% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 56% |
| Hispanic | 45% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 49% |
| Unknown | 54% |
| White | 45% |
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 NC A&T 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 North Carolina A & T State University represent 66.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC A&T 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 | NC A&T | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
846 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
487 transferred to another institution.
NC A&T lost contact with the remaining 345 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.65% |
| Transferred | 487 | 57.57% |
| Dropped Out | 345 | 40.78% |
First-time / part-time students at North Carolina A & T State University represent 0.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC A&T graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | NC A&T | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
12 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
NC A&T lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 8.33% |
| Transferred | 7 | 58.33% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 33.33% |
Returning / full-time students at North Carolina A & T State University represent 28.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC A&T graduation rate was 60%, 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 | NC A&T | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 60% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 55.07% |
340 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
175 transferred to another institution.
NC A&T lost contact with the remaining 162 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.88% |
| Transferred | 175 | 51.47% |
| Dropped Out | 162 | 47.65% |
Returning / part-time students at North Carolina A & T State University represent 4.24% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC A&T graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | NC A&T | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 49% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 37.80% |
65 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
33 transferred to another institution.
NC A&T lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 33 | 50.77% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 49.23% |
