by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UMKC 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 75% students making it past their freshmen year, UMKC 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UMKC | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
There were approximately 1688 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 46% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 57% of the students had graduated and after eight years 58% 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 UMKC graduation rate 57%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1373 | 46% |
| Six Years | 1688 | 57% |
| Eight Years | 46 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1245 | 42% |
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 1245 students or 42% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1245 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
776 transferred to another institution.
UMKC lost contact with the remaining 454 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 776 | 62.3% |
| Dropped Out | 454 | 36.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 83% |
| Black / African-American | 40% |
| Hispanic | 44% |
| International | 58% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 41% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 58% |
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 UMKC 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 Missouri-Kansas City represent 41.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMKC graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | UMKC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 47.82% |
534 first-time / full-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
365 transferred to another institution.
UMKC lost contact with the remaining 162 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.31% |
| Transferred | 365 | 68.35% |
| Dropped Out | 162 | 30.34% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Missouri-Kansas City represent 0.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMKC graduation rate was 7%, and by the eight year mark, 7% 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 | UMKC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 7% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 7% | 23.72% |
27 first-time / part-time students or 93% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
12 transferred to another institution.
UMKC lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 12 | 44.44% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 55.56% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Missouri-Kansas City represent 43.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMKC graduation rate was 64%, and by the eight year mark, 65% 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 | UMKC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 64% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 55.07% |
457 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
277 transferred to another institution.
UMKC lost contact with the remaining 173 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.53% |
| Transferred | 277 | 60.61% |
| Dropped Out | 173 | 37.86% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Missouri-Kansas City represent 13.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UMKC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | UMKC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 37.80% |
227 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
122 transferred to another institution.
UMKC lost contact with the remaining 104 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.44% |
| Transferred | 122 | 53.74% |
| Dropped Out | 104 | 45.81% |
