by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UW - La Crosse 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 87% students making it past their freshmen year, UW - La Crosse 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 Wisconsin, the average is 74.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UW - La Crosse | 87% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Wisconsin | 74.47% |
Of the 1892 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 49% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 69% of the students had graduated and after eight years 70% 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 UW - La Crosse graduation rate 69%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1335 | 49% |
| Six Years | 1892 | 69% |
| Eight Years | 26 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 832 | 30% |
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 832 students or 30% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 832 students who did not complete their degree?
4 are still enrolled.
637 transferred to another institution.
UW - La Crosse lost contact with the remaining 190 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 637 | 76.6% |
| Dropped Out | 190 | 22.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 65% |
| Black / African-American | 33% |
| Hispanic | 61% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 66% |
| White | 72% |
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 UW - La Crosse 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 Wisconsin-La Crosse represent 76.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UW - La Crosse graduation rate was 70%, and by the eight year mark, 71% 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 | UW - La Crosse | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 70% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 47.82% |
608 first-time / full-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
488 transferred to another institution.
UW - La Crosse lost contact with the remaining 117 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.49% |
| Transferred | 488 | 80.26% |
| Dropped Out | 117 | 19.24% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse represent 0.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UW - La Crosse graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | UW - La Crosse | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 40% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 23.72% |
3 first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
UW - La Crosse lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 66.67% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 33.33% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse represent 21.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UW - La Crosse graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 67% 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 | UW - La Crosse | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 67% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 55.07% |
191 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
133 transferred to another institution.
UW - La Crosse lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.05% |
| Transferred | 133 | 69.63% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 29.32% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse represent 2.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UW - La Crosse graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | UW - La Crosse | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 38% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 37.80% |
30 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
14 transferred to another institution.
UW - La Crosse lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 14 | 46.67% |
| Dropped Out | 16 | 53.33% |
