by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Northwest 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 Northwest. 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 74% students making it past their freshmen year, Northwest 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Northwest | 74% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
There were approximately 994 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 44% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 54% of the students had graduated and after eight years 55% 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 Northwest graduation rate 54%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 807 | 44% |
| Six Years | 994 | 54% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 819 | 45% |
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 819 students or 45% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 819 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
473 transferred to another institution.
Northwest lost contact with the remaining 339 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 473 | 57.8% |
| Dropped Out | 339 | 41.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 50% |
| Black / African-American | 41% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 34% |
| International | 23% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 36% |
| Unknown | 67% |
| White | 62% |
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 Northwest are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Northwest Missouri State University represent 74.63% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northwest graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | Northwest | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 53% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 47.82% |
625 first-time / full-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
386 transferred to another institution.
Northwest lost contact with the remaining 233 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.96% |
| Transferred | 386 | 61.76% |
| Dropped Out | 233 | 37.28% |
First-time / part-time students at Northwest Missouri State University represent 4.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northwest graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | Northwest | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
63 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
Northwest lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 7 | 11.11% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 88.89% |
Returning / full-time students at Northwest Missouri State University represent 19.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northwest graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 67% 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 | Northwest | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 67% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 55.07% |
119 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
73 transferred to another institution.
Northwest lost contact with the remaining 45 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.84% |
| Transferred | 73 | 61.34% |
| Dropped Out | 45 | 37.82% |
Returning / part-time students at Northwest Missouri State University represent 1.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northwest graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | Northwest | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 48% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
12 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
Northwest lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 7 | 58.33% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 41.67% |
