by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SUNY New Paltz 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 SUNY New Paltz. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 85% students making it past their freshmen year, SUNY New Paltz 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SUNY New Paltz | 85% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
Of the 1736 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 66% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 76% of the students had graduated and after eight years 76% 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 SUNY New Paltz graduation rate 76%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1519 | 66% |
| Six Years | 1736 | 76% |
| Eight Years | 15 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 544 | 24% |
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 544 students or 24% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 544 students who did not complete their degree?
2 are still enrolled.
379 transferred to another institution.
SUNY New Paltz lost contact with the remaining 159 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.4% |
| Transferred | 379 | 69.7% |
| Dropped Out | 159 | 29.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 78% |
| Black / African-American | 49% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 62% |
| International | 57% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 56% |
| Unknown | 57% |
| White | 74% |
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 SUNY New Paltz are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at State University of New York at New Paltz represent 47.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY New Paltz graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 74% 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 | SUNY New Paltz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 56% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 73% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 74% | 47.82% |
284 first-time / full-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
233 transferred to another institution.
SUNY New Paltz lost contact with the remaining 49 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.70% |
| Transferred | 233 | 82.04% |
| Dropped Out | 49 | 17.25% |
First-time / part-time students at State University of New York at New Paltz represent 0.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY New Paltz graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | SUNY New Paltz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 33% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
2 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
SUNY New Paltz lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / full-time students at State University of New York at New Paltz represent 47.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY New Paltz graduation rate was 81%, and by the eight year mark, 81% 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 | SUNY New Paltz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 81% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 81% | 55.07% |
205 non first-time / part-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
128 transferred to another institution.
SUNY New Paltz lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.46% |
| Transferred | 128 | 62.44% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 36.10% |
Returning / part-time students at State University of New York at New Paltz represent 4.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY New Paltz graduation rate was 49%, 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 | SUNY New Paltz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 49% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
53 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
SUNY New Paltz lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.89% |
| Transferred | 16 | 30.19% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 67.92% |
