by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many NC State 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 NC State. 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 94% students making it past their freshmen year, NC 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NC State | 94% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 5158 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 68% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 84% of the students had graduated and after eight years 85% 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 State graduation rate 84%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4184 | 68% |
| Six Years | 5158 | 84% |
| Eight Years | 62 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 952 | 15% |
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 952 students or 15% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 952 students who did not complete their degree?
9 are still enrolled.
611 transferred to another institution.
NC State lost contact with the remaining 326 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 0.9% |
| Transferred | 611 | 64.2% |
| Dropped Out | 326 | 34.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 72% |
| Asian | 88% |
| Black / African-American | 80% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 85% |
| International | 81% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 83% |
| Unknown | 81% |
| White | 85% |
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 State 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 North Carolina State University at Raleigh represent 71.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC State graduation rate was 85%, and by the eight year mark, 86% 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 State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 64% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 85% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 86% | 47.82% |
637 first-time / full-time students or 14% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
439 transferred to another institution.
NC State lost contact with the remaining 188 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.57% |
| Transferred | 439 | 68.92% |
| Dropped Out | 188 | 29.51% |
First-time / part-time students at North Carolina State University at Raleigh represent 0.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC State graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 50% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 23.72% |
9 first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
NC State lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 11.11% |
| Transferred | 5 | 55.56% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 33.33% |
Returning / full-time students at North Carolina State University at Raleigh represent 25.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC State graduation rate was 84%, and by the eight year mark, 85% 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 State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 84% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 85% | 55.07% |
233 non first-time / part-time students or 15% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
122 transferred to another institution.
NC State lost contact with the remaining 108 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.29% |
| Transferred | 122 | 52.36% |
| Dropped Out | 108 | 46.35% |
Returning / part-time students at North Carolina State University at Raleigh represent 2.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NC State graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 49% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 55% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 37.80% |
73 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
45 transferred to another institution.
NC State lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.37% |
| Transferred | 45 | 61.64% |
| Dropped Out | 27 | 36.99% |
