by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SBTS 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 79% students making it past their freshmen year, SBTS 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 Kentucky, the average is 67.55%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SBTS | 79% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kentucky | 67.55% |
How many of the estimated 206 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, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 SBTS graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 177 | 36% |
| Six Years | 206 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 280 | 57% |
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 280 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 280 students who did not complete their degree?
3 are still enrolled.
27 transferred to another institution.
SBTS lost contact with the remaining 199 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.1% |
| Transferred | 27 | 9.6% |
| Dropped Out | 199 | 71.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 33% |
| International | 17% |
| Unknown | 25% |
| White | 47% |
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 SBTS 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 The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary represent 35.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SBTS graduation rate was 42%, 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 | SBTS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
99 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
18 transferred to another institution.
SBTS lost contact with the remaining 66 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 15.15% |
| Transferred | 18 | 18.18% |
| Dropped Out | 66 | 66.67% |
First-time / part-time students at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary represent 16.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SBTS graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | SBTS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 34% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 23.72% |
52 first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
SBTS lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 26.92% |
| Transferred | 1 | 1.92% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 71.15% |
Returning / full-time students at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary represent 24.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SBTS graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | SBTS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 56% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 55.07% |
52 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
SBTS lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 21.15% |
| Transferred | 4 | 7.69% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 71.15% |
Returning / part-time students at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary represent 23.63% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SBTS graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | SBTS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
77 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
SBTS lost contact with the remaining 59 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 18.18% |
| Transferred | 4 | 5.19% |
| Dropped Out | 59 | 76.62% |
