by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many UNC Chapel Hill 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 UNC Chapel Hill. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 97% students making it past their freshmen year, UNC Chapel Hill 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UNC Chapel Hill | 97% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 4657 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 85% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 91% of the students had graduated and after eight years 91% 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 UNC Chapel Hill graduation rate 91%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4369 | 85% |
| Six Years | 4657 | 91% |
| Eight Years | 45 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 443 | 9% |
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 443 students or 9% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 443 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
310 transferred to another institution.
UNC Chapel Hill lost contact with the remaining 122 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.4% |
| Transferred | 310 | 70.0% |
| Dropped Out | 122 | 27.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 89% |
| Asian | 96% |
| Black / African-American | 89% |
| Hawaiian | 67% |
| Hispanic | 92% |
| International | 87% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 92% |
| Unknown | 93% |
| White | 92% |
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 UNC Chapel Hill 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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill represent 82.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UNC Chapel Hill graduation rate was 91%, and by the eight year mark, 92% 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 | UNC Chapel Hill | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 85% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 91% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 92% | 47.82% |
338 first-time / full-time students or 8% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
243 transferred to another institution.
UNC Chapel Hill lost contact with the remaining 88 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.07% |
| Transferred | 243 | 71.89% |
| Dropped Out | 88 | 26.04% |
First-time / part-time students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill represent 0.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UNC Chapel Hill graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | UNC Chapel Hill | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 50% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 23.72% |
2 first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
UNC Chapel Hill lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / full-time students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill represent 16.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UNC Chapel Hill graduation rate was 89%, and by the eight year mark, 90% 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 | UNC Chapel Hill | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 89% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 90% | 55.07% |
87 non first-time / part-time students or 10% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
58 transferred to another institution.
UNC Chapel Hill lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.30% |
| Transferred | 58 | 66.67% |
| Dropped Out | 27 | 31.03% |
Returning / part-time students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill represent 0.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UNC Chapel Hill graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | UNC Chapel Hill | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 43% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 37.80% |
16 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
UNC Chapel Hill lost contact with the remaining 7 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 12.50% |
| Transferred | 7 | 43.75% |
| Dropped Out | 7 | 43.75% |
