by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SWU 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 SWU. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 69% students making it past their freshmen year, SWU 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 South Carolina, the average is 65.91%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SWU | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
Of the 244 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 54% of the students had graduated and after eight years 54% 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 SWU graduation rate 54%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 204 | 45% |
| Six Years | 244 | 54% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 207 | 46% |
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 207 students or 46% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 207 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
112 transferred to another institution.
SWU lost contact with the remaining 95 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 112 | 54.1% |
| Dropped Out | 95 | 45.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 46% |
| Hispanic | 50% |
| International | 40% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 50% |
| Unknown | 62% |
| White | 54% |
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 SWU 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 Southern Wesleyan University represent 41.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SWU graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | SWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 58% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
81 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
56 transferred to another institution.
SWU lost contact with the remaining 25 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 56 | 69.14% |
| Dropped Out | 25 | 30.86% |
First-time / part-time students at Southern Wesleyan University represent 6.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SWU graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | SWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 36% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 23.72% |
18 first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
8 transferred to another institution.
SWU lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 8 | 44.44% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 55.56% |
Returning / full-time students at Southern Wesleyan University represent 21.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SWU graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 61% 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 | SWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 61% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 55.07% |
37 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
SWU lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 21 | 56.76% |
| Dropped Out | 16 | 43.24% |
Returning / part-time students at Southern Wesleyan University represent 30.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SWU graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | SWU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
71 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
27 transferred to another institution.
SWU lost contact with the remaining 44 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 27 | 38.03% |
| Dropped Out | 44 | 61.97% |
