by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UMass Boston 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 70% students making it past their freshmen year, UMass Boston 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 Massachusetts, the average is 73.02%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UMass Boston | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Massachusetts | 73.02% |
How many of the estimated 2155 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 54% of the students had graduated and after eight years 56% 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 UMass Boston graduation rate 54%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1614 | 40% |
| Six Years | 2155 | 54% |
| Eight Years | 78 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1774 | 44% |
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 1774 students or 44% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1774 students who did not complete their degree?
18 are still enrolled.
1022 transferred to another institution.
UMass Boston lost contact with the remaining 713 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 1.0% |
| Transferred | 1022 | 57.6% |
| Dropped Out | 713 | 40.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 25% |
| Asian | 59% |
| Black / African-American | 46% |
| Hispanic | 43% |
| International | 56% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 48% |
| Unknown | 52% |
| White | 53% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at UMass Boston 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 University of Massachusetts-Boston represent 40.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMass Boston graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | UMass Boston | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 50% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
762 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
432 transferred to another institution.
UMass Boston lost contact with the remaining 310 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 2.62% |
| Transferred | 432 | 56.69% |
| Dropped Out | 310 | 40.68% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Massachusetts-Boston represent 3.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMass Boston graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | UMass Boston | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 37% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 23.72% |
93 first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
UMass Boston lost contact with the remaining 65 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.15% |
| Transferred | 26 | 27.96% |
| Dropped Out | 65 | 69.89% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Massachusetts-Boston represent 40.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMass Boston graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | UMass Boston | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 62% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 55.07% |
598 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
362 transferred to another institution.
UMass Boston lost contact with the remaining 223 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 362 | 60.54% |
| Dropped Out | 223 | 37.29% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Massachusetts-Boston represent 15.73% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMass Boston graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | UMass Boston | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
321 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
202 transferred to another institution.
UMass Boston lost contact with the remaining 115 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 202 | 62.93% |
| Dropped Out | 115 | 35.83% |
