OWU Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Ohio Wesleyan University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding OWU 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.

• OWU Retention Rate
• OWU 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
• OWU Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

OWU Retention Rate

Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.

With 85% students making it past their freshmen year, OWU 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%.

OWU Graduation Rates

There were approximately 339 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 57% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 64% of the students had graduated and after eight years 64% 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 OWU graduation rate 64%.

OWU 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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OWU Drop Out Rate

Approximately 189 students or 36% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 189 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 152 transferred to another institution.

• OWU lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.

OWU Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 OWU 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 OWU Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Ohio Wesleyan University represent 93.37% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the OWU graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 66% 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.

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

First-Time / Full-Time OWU Drop Out Rates

170 first-time / full-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 136 transferred to another institution.

• OWU lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

At this time we lack data for this cohort at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Ohio Wesleyan University represent 6.63% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the OWU graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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.

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

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

19 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 16 transferred to another institution.

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

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

At this time we lack data for this cohort at Ohio Wesleyan 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 Phillip M Kukelhan under License