by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UM Dearborn 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 82% students making it past their freshmen year, UM Dearborn 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UM Dearborn | 82% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
There were approximately 1253 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 38% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 58% of the students had graduated and after eight years 61% 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 UM Dearborn graduation rate 58%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 827 | 38% |
| Six Years | 1253 | 58% |
| Eight Years | 71 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 848 | 39% |
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 848 students or 39% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 848 students who did not complete their degree?
10 are still enrolled.
545 transferred to another institution.
UM Dearborn lost contact with the remaining 279 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.2% |
| Transferred | 545 | 64.3% |
| Dropped Out | 279 | 32.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 25% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 41% |
| Hawaiian | 83% |
| Hispanic | 60% |
| International | 58% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 54% |
| Unknown | 67% |
| White | 57% |
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 UM Dearborn 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 University of Michigan-Dearborn represent 48.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UM Dearborn graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 60% 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 | UM Dearborn | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 60% | 47.82% |
417 first-time / full-time students or 40% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
311 transferred to another institution.
UM Dearborn lost contact with the remaining 96 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.40% |
| Transferred | 311 | 74.58% |
| Dropped Out | 96 | 23.02% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Michigan-Dearborn represent 1.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UM Dearborn graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 61% 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 | UM Dearborn | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 52% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 23.72% |
13 first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
10 transferred to another institution.
UM Dearborn lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 10 | 76.92% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 23.08% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Michigan-Dearborn represent 28.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UM Dearborn graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 70% 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 | UM Dearborn | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 68% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 70% | 55.07% |
187 non first-time / part-time students or 30% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
105 transferred to another institution.
UM Dearborn lost contact with the remaining 75 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 3.74% |
| Transferred | 105 | 56.15% |
| Dropped Out | 75 | 40.11% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Michigan-Dearborn represent 21.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UM Dearborn graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | UM Dearborn | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 48% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 37.80% |
231 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
119 transferred to another institution.
UM Dearborn lost contact with the remaining 105 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 3.03% |
| Transferred | 119 | 51.52% |
| Dropped Out | 105 | 45.45% |
