by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Southeastern 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 Southeastern. 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, Southeastern 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 Louisiana, the average is 67.86%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southeastern | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Louisiana | 67.86% |
Of the 1502 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Southeastern graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 890 | 24% |
| Six Years | 1502 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 88 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2105 | 57% |
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 2105 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2105 students who did not complete their degree?
11 are still enrolled.
1369 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern lost contact with the remaining 711 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 1369 | 65.0% |
| Dropped Out | 711 | 33.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 14% |
| Asian | 53% |
| Black / African-American | 35% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 46% |
| International | 61% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 39% |
| Unknown | 42% |
| White | 48% |
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 Southeastern 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 Southeastern Louisiana University represent 57.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southeastern graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Southeastern | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
1164 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
733 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern lost contact with the remaining 420 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 0.95% |
| Transferred | 733 | 62.97% |
| Dropped Out | 420 | 36.08% |
First-time / part-time students at Southeastern Louisiana University represent 18.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southeastern graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Southeastern | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
497 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
358 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern lost contact with the remaining 130 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.81% |
| Transferred | 358 | 72.03% |
| Dropped Out | 130 | 26.16% |
Returning / full-time students at Southeastern Louisiana University represent 18.68% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southeastern graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Southeastern | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
307 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
193 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern lost contact with the remaining 111 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.98% |
| Transferred | 193 | 62.87% |
| Dropped Out | 111 | 36.16% |
Returning / part-time students at Southeastern Louisiana University represent 5.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southeastern graduation rate was 35%, 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 | Southeastern | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 35% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
137 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
85 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern lost contact with the remaining 50 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.46% |
| Transferred | 85 | 62.04% |
| Dropped Out | 50 | 36.50% |
