by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SUNY Schenectady 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 SUNY Schenectady. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 51% students making it past their freshmen year, SUNY Schenectady 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SUNY Schenectady | 51% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
Of the 354 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 21% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 24% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 SUNY Schenectady graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 316 | 21% |
| Six Years | 354 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 1129 | 76% |
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 1129 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1129 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
480 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Schenectady lost contact with the remaining 639 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 480 | 42.5% |
| Dropped Out | 639 | 56.6% |
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 SUNY Schenectady are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 Schenectady County Community College represent 49.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Schenectady graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | SUNY Schenectady | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 25% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
544 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
216 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Schenectady lost contact with the remaining 322 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.10% |
| Transferred | 216 | 39.71% |
| Dropped Out | 322 | 59.19% |
First-time / part-time students at Schenectady County Community College represent 15.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Schenectady graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | SUNY Schenectady | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 16% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
200 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
67 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Schenectady lost contact with the remaining 132 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.50% |
| Transferred | 67 | 33.50% |
| Dropped Out | 132 | 66.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Schenectady County Community College represent 22.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Schenectady graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | SUNY Schenectady | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 55.07% |
242 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
118 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Schenectady lost contact with the remaining 121 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.24% |
| Transferred | 118 | 48.76% |
| Dropped Out | 121 | 50.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Schenectady County Community College represent 11.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Schenectady graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | SUNY Schenectady | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 37.80% |
143 non first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
79 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Schenectady lost contact with the remaining 64 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 79 | 55.24% |
| Dropped Out | 64 | 44.76% |
