by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SUNY Poly 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 Poly. 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, SUNY Poly 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SUNY Poly | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
There were approximately 459 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 62% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 69% of the students had graduated and after eight years 70% 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 Poly graduation rate 69%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 411 | 62% |
| Six Years | 459 | 69% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 199 | 30% |
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 199 students or 30% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 199 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
127 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Poly lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 127 | 63.8% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 35.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 47% |
| Black / African-American | 37% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 42% |
| International | 80% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 59% |
| White | 67% |
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 Poly 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 SUNY Polytechnic Institute represent 47.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Poly graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 Poly | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 62% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 47.82% |
118 first-time / full-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
90 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Poly lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.85% |
| Transferred | 90 | 76.27% |
| Dropped Out | 27 | 22.88% |
At this time we lack data for this cohort at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
Returning / full-time students at SUNY Polytechnic Institute represent 48.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Poly graduation rate was 78%, and by the eight year mark, 79% 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 Poly | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 78% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 79% | 55.07% |
68 non first-time / part-time students or 21% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
31 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Poly lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 31 | 45.59% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 52.94% |
Returning / part-time students at SUNY Polytechnic Institute represent 4.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Poly graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 Poly | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 55% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 37.80% |
13 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Poly lost contact with the remaining 7 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 6 | 46.15% |
| Dropped Out | 7 | 53.85% |
