by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UIU 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 68% students making it past their freshmen year, UIU 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 Iowa, the average is 68.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| UIU | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
Of the 1049 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 47% of the students had graduated and after eight years 48% 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 UIU graduation rate 47%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 952 | 43% |
| Six Years | 1049 | 47% |
| Eight Years | 34 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1155 | 52% |
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 1155 students or 52% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1155 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
480 transferred to another institution.
UIU lost contact with the remaining 652 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.1% |
| Transferred | 480 | 41.6% |
| Dropped Out | 652 | 56.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 75% |
| Black / African-American | 16% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 25% |
| International | 25% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 40% |
| White | 50% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 UIU 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 Upper Iowa University represent 11.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UIU 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 | UIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
142 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
84 transferred to another institution.
UIU lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.11% |
| Transferred | 84 | 59.15% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 38.73% |
First-time / part-time students at Upper Iowa University represent 5.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UIU graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | UIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
103 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
44 transferred to another institution.
UIU lost contact with the remaining 57 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.94% |
| Transferred | 44 | 42.72% |
| Dropped Out | 57 | 55.34% |
Returning / full-time students at Upper Iowa University represent 27.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UIU graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 68% 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 | UIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 66% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
198 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
UIU lost contact with the remaining 125 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.01% |
| Transferred | 71 | 35.86% |
| Dropped Out | 125 | 63.13% |
Returning / part-time students at Upper Iowa University represent 55.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UIU graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | UIU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 41% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 37.80% |
712 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
281 transferred to another institution.
UIU lost contact with the remaining 415 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 2.25% |
| Transferred | 281 | 39.47% |
| Dropped Out | 415 | 58.29% |
