by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SUNY Empire 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 Empire. 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 66% students making it past their freshmen year, SUNY Empire 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SUNY Empire | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
How many of the estimated 1781 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 48% 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 Empire graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1408 | 36% |
| Six Years | 1781 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 97 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2041 | 52% |
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 2041 students or 52% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2041 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
665 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Empire lost contact with the remaining 1330 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 665 | 32.6% |
| Dropped Out | 1330 | 65.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hispanic | 13% |
| White | 34% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at SUNY Empire 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 Empire State University represent 9.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Empire graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 Empire | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 47.82% |
277 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
101 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Empire lost contact with the remaining 175 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.36% |
| Transferred | 101 | 36.46% |
| Dropped Out | 175 | 63.18% |
First-time / part-time students at Empire State University represent 8.94% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Empire graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 Empire | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 44% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 23.72% |
180 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.
36 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Empire lost contact with the remaining 143 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.56% |
| Transferred | 36 | 20.00% |
| Dropped Out | 143 | 79.44% |
Returning / full-time students at Empire State University represent 44.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Empire graduation rate was 50%, 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 | SUNY Empire | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 50% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 55.07% |
838 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
331 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Empire lost contact with the remaining 487 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 2.39% |
| Transferred | 331 | 39.50% |
| Dropped Out | 487 | 58.11% |
Returning / part-time students at Empire State University represent 37.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Empire graduation rate was 46%, 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 Empire | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 46% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
746 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
197 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Empire lost contact with the remaining 525 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 3.22% |
| Transferred | 197 | 26.41% |
| Dropped Out | 525 | 70.38% |
