by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Rhodes College 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 92% students making it past their freshmen year, Rhodes College 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Rhodes College | 92% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
How many of the estimated 432 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 78% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 81% of the students had graduated and after eight years 81% 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 Rhodes College graduation rate 81%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 418 | 78% |
| Six Years | 432 | 81% |
| Eight Years | 1 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 101 | 19% |
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 101 students or 19% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 101 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
101 transferred to another institution.
Rhodes College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 101 | 100.0% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 86% |
| Black / African-American | 83% |
| Hispanic | 80% |
| International | 88% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 73% |
| Unknown | 100% |
| White | 81% |
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 Rhodes College 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 students at Rhodes College represent 95.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rhodes College graduation rate was 83%, and by the eight year mark, 83% 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 | Rhodes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 80% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 83% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 83% | 47.82% |
86 first-time / full-time students or 17% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
86 transferred to another institution.
Rhodes College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 86 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
We don’t have data for this cohort at Rhodes College.
Returning / full-time students at Rhodes College represent 4.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Rhodes College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Rhodes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
15 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
Rhodes College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 15 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
We don’t have data for this cohort at Rhodes College.
