by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding USW 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 55% students making it past their freshmen year, USW has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in New Mexico, the average is 62.90%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| USW | 55% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Mexico | 62.90% |
How many of the estimated 83 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 34% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 37% of the students had graduated and after eight years 38% 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 USW graduation rate 37%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 76 | 34% |
| Six Years | 83 | 37% |
| Eight Years | 2 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 140 | 62% |
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.
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to drop out data for University of the Southwest.
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 25% |
| Black / African-American | 9% |
| Hispanic | 26% |
| International | 50% |
| Unknown | 17% |
| White | 36% |
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 USW 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 the Southwest represent 42.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USW graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | USW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 26% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
70 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
USW lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 100.00% |
First-time / part-time students at University of the Southwest represent 10.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USW graduation rate was 4%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | USW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 4% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
21 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
USW lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 100.00% |
Returning / full-time students at University of the Southwest represent 43.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USW graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | USW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
45 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
USW lost contact with the remaining 45 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 45 | 100.00% |
Returning / part-time students at University of the Southwest represent 4.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USW graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | USW | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 56% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 56% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 37.80% |
4 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
USW lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 100.00% |
