by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Ohio State 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 94% students making it past their freshmen year, Ohio 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 Ohio, the average is 69.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Ohio State | 94% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Ohio | 69.84% |
Of the 10757 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, 82% of the students had graduated and after eight years 83% 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 Ohio State graduation rate 82%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8865 | 68% |
| Six Years | 10757 | 82% |
| Eight Years | 123 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2222 | 17% |
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 2222 students or 17% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2222 students who did not complete their degree?
22 are still enrolled.
1421 transferred to another institution.
Ohio State lost contact with the remaining 746 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 1421 | 64.0% |
| Dropped Out | 746 | 33.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 60% |
| Asian | 91% |
| Black / African-American | 79% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 86% |
| International | 85% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 89% |
| Unknown | 89% |
| White | 88% |
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 Ohio 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 Ohio State University-Main Campus represent 60.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ohio State graduation rate was 88%, and by the eight year mark, 89% 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 | Ohio State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 68% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 88% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 89% | 47.82% |
907 first-time / full-time students or 11% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
596 transferred to another institution.
Ohio State lost contact with the remaining 287 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 2.65% |
| Transferred | 596 | 65.71% |
| Dropped Out | 287 | 31.64% |
First-time / part-time students at Ohio State University-Main Campus represent 0.07% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ohio State graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Ohio State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 56% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 56% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 23.72% |
4 first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Ohio State lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 2 | 50.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Ohio State University-Main Campus represent 34.19% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ohio State graduation rate was 77%, and by the eight year mark, 77% 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 | Ohio State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 77% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 77% | 55.07% |
1010 non first-time / part-time students or 23% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
624 transferred to another institution.
Ohio State lost contact with the remaining 361 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 2.48% |
| Transferred | 624 | 61.78% |
| Dropped Out | 361 | 35.74% |
Returning / part-time students at Ohio State University-Main Campus represent 4.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ohio State graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | Ohio State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 50% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 37.80% |
301 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
199 transferred to another institution.
Ohio State lost contact with the remaining 96 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.99% |
| Transferred | 199 | 66.11% |
| Dropped Out | 96 | 31.89% |
