by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Texas State 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 80% students making it past their freshmen year, Texas State 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Texas State | 80% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
There were approximately 6679 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 60% of the students had graduated and after eight years 62% 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 Texas State graduation rate 60%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4986 | 45% |
| Six Years | 6679 | 60% |
| Eight Years | 209 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 4227 | 38% |
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 4227 students or 38% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4227 students who did not complete their degree?
40 are still enrolled.
2824 transferred to another institution.
Texas State lost contact with the remaining 1336 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 40 | 0.9% |
| Transferred | 2824 | 66.8% |
| Dropped Out | 1336 | 31.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 64% |
| Black / African-American | 45% |
| Hawaiian | 56% |
| Hispanic | 52% |
| International | 86% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 57% |
| Unknown | 100% |
| White | 62% |
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.
The majority of students at Texas State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Texas State University represent 51.03% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Texas State graduation rate was 55%, 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 | Texas State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
2398 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
42 are still enrolled.
1700 transferred to another institution.
Texas State lost contact with the remaining 656 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 42 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 1700 | 70.89% |
| Dropped Out | 656 | 27.36% |
First-time / part-time students at Texas State University represent 2.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Texas State graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Texas State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 44% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 23.72% |
126 first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
104 transferred to another institution.
Texas State lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.59% |
| Transferred | 104 | 82.54% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 15.87% |
Returning / full-time students at Texas State University represent 36.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Texas State graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | Texas State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 67% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 55.07% |
1273 non first-time / part-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
772 transferred to another institution.
Texas State lost contact with the remaining 483 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 772 | 60.64% |
| Dropped Out | 483 | 37.94% |
Returning / part-time students at Texas State University represent 10.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Texas State 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Texas State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 61% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 37.80% |
430 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
248 transferred to another institution.
Texas State lost contact with the remaining 177 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.16% |
| Transferred | 248 | 57.67% |
| Dropped Out | 177 | 41.16% |
