by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Penn State World Campus 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 66% students making it past their freshmen year, Penn State World Campus has freshmen retention rates below 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%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Penn State World Campus | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
Of the 790 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 38% 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 World Campus graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 590 | 26% |
| Six Years | 790 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 62 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 1403 | 62% |
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 1403 students or 62% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1403 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
670 transferred to another institution.
Penn State World Campus lost contact with the remaining 695 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 670 | 47.8% |
| Dropped Out | 695 | 49.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Hispanic | 30% |
| International | 100% |
| Unknown | 33% |
| White | 36% |
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 Penn State World Campus 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 Pennsylvania State University-World Campus represent 7.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Penn State World Campus graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Penn State World Campus | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
107 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
Penn State World Campus lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.87% |
| Transferred | 42 | 39.25% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 58.88% |
First-time / part-time students at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus represent 15.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Penn State World Campus graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | Penn State World Campus | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
285 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
135 transferred to another institution.
Penn State World Campus lost contact with the remaining 139 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 3.86% |
| Transferred | 135 | 47.37% |
| Dropped Out | 139 | 48.77% |
Returning / full-time students at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus represent 23.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Penn State World Campus graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | Penn State World Campus | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 53% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
247 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
136 transferred to another institution.
Penn State World Campus lost contact with the remaining 105 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.43% |
| Transferred | 136 | 55.06% |
| Dropped Out | 105 | 42.51% |
Returning / part-time students at Pennsylvania State University-World Campus represent 53.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Penn State World Campus graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | Penn State World Campus | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
764 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
357 transferred to another institution.
Penn State World Campus lost contact with the remaining 388 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.49% |
| Transferred | 357 | 46.73% |
| Dropped Out | 388 | 50.79% |
