by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many TROY 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 TROY. 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, TROY 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 Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| TROY | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
How many of the estimated 1941 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 44% 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 TROY graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1332 | 29% |
| Six Years | 1941 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 97 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2596 | 56% |
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 2596 students or 56% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2596 students who did not complete their degree?
20 are still enrolled.
1297 transferred to another institution.
TROY lost contact with the remaining 1178 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 0.8% |
| Transferred | 1297 | 50.0% |
| Dropped Out | 1178 | 45.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 43% |
| Asian | 56% |
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hispanic | 49% |
| International | 47% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 59% |
| Unknown | 44% |
| White | 52% |
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 TROY are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Troy University represent 42.83% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the TROY graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | TROY | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
1062 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
47 are still enrolled.
526 transferred to another institution.
TROY lost contact with the remaining 489 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 47 | 4.43% |
| Transferred | 526 | 49.53% |
| Dropped Out | 489 | 46.05% |
First-time / part-time students at Troy University represent 9.42% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the TROY graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | TROY | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
378 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
TROY lost contact with the remaining 192 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 3.70% |
| Transferred | 172 | 45.50% |
| Dropped Out | 192 | 50.79% |
Returning / full-time students at Troy University represent 26.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the TROY graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 60% 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 | TROY | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 59% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 60% | 55.07% |
490 non first-time / part-time students or 40% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
263 transferred to another institution.
TROY lost contact with the remaining 198 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 5.92% |
| Transferred | 263 | 53.67% |
| Dropped Out | 198 | 40.41% |
Returning / part-time students at Troy University represent 21.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the TROY graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | TROY | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
666 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
336 transferred to another institution.
TROY lost contact with the remaining 299 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 4.65% |
| Transferred | 336 | 50.45% |
| Dropped Out | 299 | 44.89% |
