by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SUNY Ulster 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 Ulster. 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 59% students making it past their freshmen year, SUNY Ulster 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 Ulster | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
Of the 306 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 34% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 Ulster graduation rate 34%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 280 | 31% |
| Six Years | 306 | 34% |
| Eight Years | 9 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 586 | 65% |
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 586 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 586 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
239 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Ulster lost contact with the remaining 341 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 239 | 40.8% |
| Dropped Out | 341 | 58.2% |
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.
The majority of students at SUNY Ulster are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Ulster County Community College represent 54.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Ulster graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 Ulster | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 47.82% |
329 first-time / full-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
123 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Ulster lost contact with the remaining 201 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.52% |
| Transferred | 123 | 37.39% |
| Dropped Out | 201 | 61.09% |
First-time / part-time students at Ulster County Community College represent 13.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Ulster graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 Ulster | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
88 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Ulster lost contact with the remaining 64 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.14% |
| Transferred | 23 | 26.14% |
| Dropped Out | 64 | 72.73% |
Returning / full-time students at Ulster County Community College represent 19.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Ulster graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 Ulster | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 55.07% |
97 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Ulster lost contact with the remaining 44 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 53 | 54.64% |
| Dropped Out | 44 | 45.36% |
Returning / part-time students at Ulster County Community College represent 12.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SUNY Ulster graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 Ulster | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 35% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 37.80% |
72 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
40 transferred to another institution.
SUNY Ulster lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 40 | 55.56% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 44.44% |
