by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Salem 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 75% students making it past their freshmen year, Salem 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 Massachusetts, the average is 73.02%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Salem State | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Massachusetts | 73.02% |
How many of the estimated 1403 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 51% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 61% of the students had graduated and after eight years 62% 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 Salem State graduation rate 61%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1162 | 51% |
| Six Years | 1403 | 61% |
| Eight Years | 29 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 867 | 38% |
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 867 students or 38% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 867 students who did not complete their degree?
9 are still enrolled.
461 transferred to another institution.
Salem State lost contact with the remaining 391 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 461 | 53.2% |
| Dropped Out | 391 | 45.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 47% |
| Black / African-American | 42% |
| Hispanic | 56% |
| International | 58% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 38% |
| Unknown | 24% |
| White | 59% |
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 Salem State 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 students at Salem State University represent 51.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Salem State graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Salem State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 47.82% |
513 first-time / full-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
297 transferred to another institution.
Salem State lost contact with the remaining 206 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.95% |
| Transferred | 297 | 57.89% |
| Dropped Out | 206 | 40.16% |
First-time / part-time students at Salem State University represent 0.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Salem State graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | Salem State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
18 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
8 transferred to another institution.
Salem State lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 8 | 44.44% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 55.56% |
Returning / full-time students at Salem State University represent 37.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Salem State graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Salem State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 55.07% |
233 non first-time / part-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
114 transferred to another institution.
Salem State lost contact with the remaining 117 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.86% |
| Transferred | 114 | 48.93% |
| Dropped Out | 117 | 50.21% |
Returning / part-time students at Salem State University represent 10.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Salem State graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | Salem State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 56% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 37.80% |
103 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
Salem State lost contact with the remaining 58 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.91% |
| Transferred | 42 | 40.78% |
| Dropped Out | 58 | 56.31% |
