by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SNHU 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, SNHU has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in New Hampshire, the average is 74.45%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SNHU | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Hampshire | 74.45% |
How many of the estimated 2,368 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of SNHU is 42%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
The average length of time it takes an SNHU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.13 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1,824 | 33% |
| Six Years | 2,368 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 132 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 3,094 | 55% |
Approximately 3094 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3094 students who did not complete their degree?
19 are still enrolled.
728 transferred to another institution.
SNHU lost contact with the remaining 2245 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 728 | 23.5% |
| Dropped Out | 2,245 | 72.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 25% |
| Asian | 48% |
| Black / African-American | 25% |
| Hispanic | 35% |
| International | 65% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 47% |
| Unknown | 23% |
| White | 48% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 SNHU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at Southern New Hampshire University represent 18% of the students in the class of 2015, and 24.32% of SNHU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 45%, first-time students in the SNHU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SNHU graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 57% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | SNHU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 47.82% |
444 first-time / full-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
SNHU lost contact with the remaining 367 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 4.28% |
| Transferred | 71 | 15.99% |
| Dropped Out | 367 | 82.66% |
First-time / part-time students at Southern New Hampshire University represent 16.00% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 14%, first-time, part-time students in the SNHU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 16%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | SNHU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
751 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
153 transferred to another institution.
SNHU lost contact with the remaining 587 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.46% |
| Transferred | 153 | 20.37% |
| Dropped Out | 587 | 78.16% |
735 SNHU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 13.14% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 69%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 70%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | SNHU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 69% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 55.07% |
222 non first-time / part-time students or 30% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
56 transferred to another institution.
SNHU lost contact with the remaining 154 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 5.41% |
| Transferred | 56 | 25.23% |
| Dropped Out | 154 | 69.37% |
2931 SNHU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 52.40% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 40%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 43%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | SNHU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 40% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 37.80% |
1677 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
92 are still enrolled.
448 transferred to another institution.
SNHU lost contact with the remaining 1137 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 92 | 5.49% |
| Transferred | 448 | 26.71% |
| Dropped Out | 1,137 | 67.80% |
