by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UAFS 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, UAFS 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 Arkansas, the average is 66.23%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UAFS | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arkansas | 66.23% |
There were approximately 738 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 28% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 40% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 UAFS graduation rate 40%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 521 | 28% |
| Six Years | 738 | 40% |
| Eight Years | 86 | 5% |
| Did Not Complete | 1015 | 55% |
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 1015 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1015 students who did not complete their degree?
13 are still enrolled.
155 transferred to another institution.
UAFS lost contact with the remaining 846 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 1.3% |
| Transferred | 155 | 15.3% |
| Dropped Out | 846 | 83.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 52% |
| Black / African-American | 13% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 32% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 31% |
| White | 39% |
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 UAFS are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith represent 56.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UAFS graduation rate was 42%, 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 | UAFS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
552 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
91 transferred to another institution.
UAFS lost contact with the remaining 454 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 91 | 16.49% |
| Dropped Out | 454 | 82.25% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith represent 10.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UAFS graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | UAFS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 23.72% |
128 first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
13 transferred to another institution.
UAFS lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 3.91% |
| Transferred | 13 | 10.16% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 85.94% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith represent 25.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UAFS graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | UAFS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 45% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 55.07% |
240 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
39 transferred to another institution.
UAFS lost contact with the remaining 199 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.83% |
| Transferred | 39 | 16.25% |
| Dropped Out | 199 | 82.92% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith represent 8.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UAFS graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | UAFS | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 37% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 37.80% |
95 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
12 transferred to another institution.
UAFS lost contact with the remaining 83 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 12 | 12.63% |
| Dropped Out | 83 | 87.37% |
