by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SouthArk 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 57% students making it past their freshmen year, SouthArk 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 Arkansas, the average is 66.23%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SouthArk | 57% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arkansas | 66.23% |
How many of the estimated 201 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 39% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 44% 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 SouthArk graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 187 | 39% |
| Six Years | 201 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 9 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 265 | 56% |
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 265 students or 56% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 265 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
143 transferred to another institution.
SouthArk lost contact with the remaining 117 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 143 | 54.0% |
| Dropped Out | 117 | 44.2% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at SouthArk are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at South Arkansas College represent 32.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SouthArk graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | SouthArk | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 42% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 47.82% |
81 first-time / full-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
25 transferred to another institution.
SouthArk lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 25 | 30.86% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 67.90% |
First-time / part-time students at South Arkansas College represent 17.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SouthArk graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | SouthArk | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 41% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 23.72% |
49 first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
19 transferred to another institution.
SouthArk lost contact with the remaining 28 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 4.08% |
| Transferred | 19 | 38.78% |
| Dropped Out | 28 | 57.14% |
Returning / full-time students at South Arkansas College represent 26.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SouthArk graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | SouthArk | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 44% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 55.07% |
67 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
49 transferred to another institution.
SouthArk lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.99% |
| Transferred | 49 | 73.13% |
| Dropped Out | 16 | 23.88% |
Returning / part-time students at South Arkansas College represent 23.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SouthArk graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | SouthArk | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 37% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 37.80% |
68 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
50 transferred to another institution.
SouthArk lost contact with the remaining 18 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 50 | 73.53% |
| Dropped Out | 18 | 26.47% |
