by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding NSU 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.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 71% students making it past their freshmen year, NSU 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 Louisiana, the average is 67.86%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| NSU | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Louisiana | 67.86% |
There were approximately 1615 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 32% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 NSU graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1212 | 32% |
| Six Years | 1615 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 79 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2052 | 55% |
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 2052 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2052 students who did not complete their degree?
15 are still enrolled.
1075 transferred to another institution.
NSU lost contact with the remaining 932 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 1075 | 52.4% |
| Dropped Out | 932 | 45.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 34% |
| Hispanic | 51% |
| International | 27% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 48% |
| Unknown | 42% |
| White | 49% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at NSU are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana represent 36.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NSU graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | NSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 31% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
679 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
375 transferred to another institution.
NSU lost contact with the remaining 289 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.21% |
| Transferred | 375 | 55.23% |
| Dropped Out | 289 | 42.56% |
First-time / part-time students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana represent 5.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NSU graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | NSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
157 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
83 transferred to another institution.
NSU lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.91% |
| Transferred | 83 | 52.87% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 45.22% |
Returning / full-time students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana represent 22.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NSU graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | NSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 55.07% |
439 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
213 transferred to another institution.
NSU lost contact with the remaining 218 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.82% |
| Transferred | 213 | 48.52% |
| Dropped Out | 218 | 49.66% |
Returning / part-time students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana represent 35.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the NSU graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | NSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 40% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 37.80% |
777 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
404 transferred to another institution.
NSU lost contact with the remaining 354 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.45% |
| Transferred | 404 | 51.99% |
| Dropped Out | 354 | 45.56% |
