by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Cumberlands 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 Cumberlands. 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 74% students making it past their freshmen year, Cumberlands 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 Kentucky, the average is 67.55%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Cumberlands | 74% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kentucky | 67.55% |
There were approximately 354 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 42% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 48% of the students had graduated and after eight years 49% 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 Cumberlands graduation rate 48%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 307 | 42% |
| Six Years | 354 | 48% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 369 | 51% |
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 369 students or 51% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 369 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
82 transferred to another institution.
Cumberlands lost contact with the remaining 286 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.3% |
| Transferred | 82 | 22.2% |
| Dropped Out | 286 | 77.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 50% |
| International | 50% |
| Unknown | 45% |
| White | 62% |
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 Cumberlands are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at University of the Cumberlands represent 45.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cumberlands graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Cumberlands | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
187 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
43 transferred to another institution.
Cumberlands lost contact with the remaining 143 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.53% |
| Transferred | 43 | 22.99% |
| Dropped Out | 143 | 76.47% |
First-time / part-time students at University of the Cumberlands represent 2.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cumberlands graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Cumberlands | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
17 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Cumberlands lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 11.76% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 88.24% |
Returning / full-time students at University of the Cumberlands represent 31.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cumberlands graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 60% 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 | Cumberlands | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 59% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 60% | 55.07% |
91 non first-time / part-time students or 40% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
Cumberlands lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 21 | 23.08% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 76.92% |
Returning / part-time students at University of the Cumberlands represent 20.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cumberlands graduation rate was 51%, 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 | Cumberlands | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 42% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 37.80% |
74 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
Cumberlands lost contact with the remaining 58 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 16 | 21.62% |
| Dropped Out | 58 | 78.38% |
