Northwestern Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Northwestern University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding Northwestern 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.

• Northwestern Retention Rate
• Northwestern Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Northwestern Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Northwestern Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 98% students making it past their freshmen year, Northwestern 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.

Northwestern Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 2015 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 87% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 97% of the students had graduated and after eight years 97% 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 Northwestern graduation rate 97%.

Northwestern Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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.

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Northwestern Drop Out Rate

Approximately 60 students or 3% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 60 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 42 transferred to another institution.

• Northwestern lost contact with the remaining 18 who we assumed dropped out.

Northwestern Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 Northwestern 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 Northwestern Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Northwestern University represent 95.02% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Northwestern graduation rate was 97%, and by the eight year mark, 97% 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.

Northwestern First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Northwestern Drop Out Rates

57 first-time / full-time students or 3% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 42 transferred to another institution.

• Northwestern lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

We don’t have data for this cohort at Northwestern University.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Northwestern University represent 4.98% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Northwestern graduation rate was 97%, and by the eight year mark, 97% 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.

Northwestern Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Northwestern Drop Out Rates

3 non first-time / part-time students or 3% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• Northwestern lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

We don’t have data for this cohort at Northwestern University.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics
• Image Credit: By Madcoverboy at en.wikipedia under License