by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding U of U 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 86% students making it past their freshmen year, U of U 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 Utah, the average is 75.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| U of U | 86% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Utah | 75.47% |
There were approximately 4054 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 65% of the students had graduated and after eight years 69% 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 U of U graduation rate 65%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2730 | 43% |
| Six Years | 4054 | 65% |
| Eight Years | 253 | 4% |
| Did Not Complete | 1971 | 31% |
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 1971 students or 31% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1971 students who did not complete their degree?
42 are still enrolled.
880 transferred to another institution.
U of U lost contact with the remaining 1005 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 42 | 2.1% |
| Transferred | 880 | 44.6% |
| Dropped Out | 1005 | 51.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 70% |
| Asian | 75% |
| Black / African-American | 58% |
| Hawaiian | 35% |
| Hispanic | 57% |
| International | 69% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 58% |
| Unknown | 42% |
| White | 65% |
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 U of U are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at University of Utah represent 54.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the U of U graduation rate was 64%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | U of U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 64% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
1029 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
47 are still enrolled.
513 transferred to another institution.
U of U lost contact with the remaining 469 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 47 | 4.57% |
| Transferred | 513 | 49.85% |
| Dropped Out | 469 | 45.58% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Utah represent 5.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the U of U graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | U of U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 29% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 23.72% |
196 first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
83 transferred to another institution.
U of U lost contact with the remaining 96 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 8.67% |
| Transferred | 83 | 42.35% |
| Dropped Out | 96 | 48.98% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Utah represent 26.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the U of U graduation rate was 75%, and by the eight year mark, 77% 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 | U of U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 75% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 77% | 55.07% |
396 non first-time / part-time students or 23% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
149 transferred to another institution.
U of U lost contact with the remaining 235 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 3.03% |
| Transferred | 149 | 37.63% |
| Dropped Out | 235 | 59.34% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Utah represent 14.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the U of U graduation rate was 60%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | U of U | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 47% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 60% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 37.80% |
350 non first-time / part-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
135 transferred to another institution.
U of U lost contact with the remaining 205 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.86% |
| Transferred | 135 | 38.57% |
| Dropped Out | 205 | 58.57% |
