by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SEU 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 SEU. 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, SEU has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Florida, the average is 70.38%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SEU | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Florida | 70.38% |
Of the 861 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 44% 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 SEU graduation rate 44%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 712 | 36% |
| Six Years | 861 | 44% |
| Eight Years | 19 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 1098 | 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 1098 students or 56% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1098 students who did not complete their degree?
5 are still enrolled.
586 transferred to another institution.
SEU lost contact with the remaining 497 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 586 | 53.4% |
| Dropped Out | 497 | 45.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 12% |
| Asian | 40% |
| Black / African-American | 26% |
| Hawaiian | 67% |
| Hispanic | 38% |
| International | 85% |
| Unknown | 58% |
| 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 SEU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Southeastern University represent 57.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SEU graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | SEU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
651 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
374 transferred to another institution.
SEU lost contact with the remaining 269 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 374 | 57.45% |
| Dropped Out | 269 | 41.32% |
First-time / part-time students at Southeastern University represent 3.63% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SEU graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | SEU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
60 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
SEU lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 26 | 43.33% |
| Dropped Out | 34 | 56.67% |
Returning / full-time students at Southeastern University represent 33.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SEU graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | SEU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 55.07% |
313 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
155 transferred to another institution.
SEU lost contact with the remaining 153 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.60% |
| Transferred | 155 | 49.52% |
| Dropped Out | 153 | 48.88% |
Returning / part-time students at Southeastern University represent 5.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SEU graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | SEU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 31% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
74 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
31 transferred to another institution.
SEU lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.70% |
| Transferred | 31 | 41.89% |
| Dropped Out | 41 | 55.41% |
