by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Southwest Baptist University 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 65% students making it past their freshmen year, Southwest Baptist University 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southwest Baptist University | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
Of the 421 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 48% of the students had graduated and after eight years 49% 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 Southwest Baptist University graduation rate 48%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 355 | 40% |
| Six Years | 421 | 48% |
| Eight Years | 10 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 447 | 51% |
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 447 students or 51% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 447 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
269 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Baptist University lost contact with the remaining 178 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 269 | 60.2% |
| Dropped Out | 178 | 39.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 100% |
| Black / African-American | 24% |
| Hispanic | 35% |
| International | 29% |
| Unknown | 40% |
| White | 56% |
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 Southwest Baptist University are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Southwest Baptist University represent 48.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Baptist University graduation rate was 43%, 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 | Southwest Baptist University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
243 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
152 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Baptist University lost contact with the remaining 91 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 152 | 62.55% |
| Dropped Out | 91 | 37.45% |
First-time / part-time students at Southwest Baptist University represent 5.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Baptist University 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 | Southwest Baptist University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
41 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.
19 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Baptist University lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 19 | 46.34% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 53.66% |
Returning / full-time students at Southwest Baptist University represent 28.68% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Baptist University graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | Southwest Baptist University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 61% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 55.07% |
93 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
64 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Baptist University lost contact with the remaining 29 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 64 | 68.82% |
| Dropped Out | 29 | 31.18% |
Returning / part-time students at Southwest Baptist University represent 17.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Baptist University graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | Southwest Baptist University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 37.80% |
70 non first-time / part-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
34 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Baptist University lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 34 | 48.57% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 51.43% |
