Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley Retention Rate
• Penn State Lehigh Valley 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
• Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Penn State Lehigh Valley Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 83% students making it past their freshmen year, Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.

Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Rates

There were approximately 57 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 16% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 20% 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley graduation rate 19%.

Penn State Lehigh Valley 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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Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rate

Approximately 240 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 240 students who did not complete their degree?

• 2 are still enrolled.

• 197 transferred to another institution.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley lost contact with the remaining 40 who we assumed dropped out.

Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley represent 76.41% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Penn State Lehigh Valley graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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.

Penn State Lehigh Valley First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rates

198 first-time / full-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 2 are still enrolled.

• 169 transferred to another institution.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley represent 1.33% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Penn State Lehigh Valley graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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.

First-Time / Part-Time Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rates

3 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 3 transferred to another institution.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley represent 18.27% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Penn State Lehigh Valley graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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.

Penn State Lehigh Valley Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rates

31 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 1 are still enrolled.

• 22 transferred to another institution.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley lost contact with the remaining 8 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Returning / part-time students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley represent 3.99% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Penn State Lehigh Valley graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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.

Penn State Lehigh Valley Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time Penn State Lehigh Valley Drop Out Rates

8 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 3 transferred to another institution.

• Penn State Lehigh Valley lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.

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