by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding NAU 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 75% students making it past their freshmen year, NAU 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 Arizona, the average is 67.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NAU | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arizona | 67.94% |
Of the 5828 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 49% 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 NAU graduation rate 58%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4925 | 49% |
| Six Years | 5828 | 58% |
| Eight Years | 129 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4112 | 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 4112 students or 41% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4112 students who did not complete their degree?
25 are still enrolled.
2439 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 1620 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 2439 | 59.3% |
| Dropped Out | 1620 | 39.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 37% |
| Asian | 62% |
| Black / African-American | 37% |
| Hawaiian | 53% |
| Hispanic | 54% |
| International | 58% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 55% |
| Unknown | 61% |
| White | 60% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 NAU 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 Northern Arizona University represent 51.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NAU graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 60% 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 | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 58% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 60% | 47.82% |
2088 first-time / full-time students or 40% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
26 are still enrolled.
1417 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 645 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 1417 | 67.86% |
| Dropped Out | 645 | 30.89% |
First-time / part-time students at Northern Arizona University represent 6.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NAU graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
465 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
266 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 194 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.08% |
| Transferred | 266 | 57.20% |
| Dropped Out | 194 | 41.72% |
Returning / full-time students at Northern Arizona University represent 25.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NAU graduation rate was 69%, and by the eight year mark, 70% 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 | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 69% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 55.07% |
758 non first-time / part-time students or 30% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
427 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 322 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 427 | 56.33% |
| Dropped Out | 322 | 42.48% |
Returning / part-time students at Northern Arizona University represent 16.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NAU graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | NAU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 47% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 37.80% |
801 non first-time / part-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
329 transferred to another institution.
NAU lost contact with the remaining 459 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 1.62% |
| Transferred | 329 | 41.07% |
| Dropped Out | 459 | 57.30% |
