by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Wayne State 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 83% students making it past their freshmen year, Wayne State 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wayne State | 83% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
Of the 2994 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 41% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 59% of the students had graduated and after eight years 61% 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 Wayne State graduation rate 59%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2112 | 41% |
| Six Years | 2994 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 131 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1968 | 39% |
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 1968 students or 39% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1968 students who did not complete their degree?
32 are still enrolled.
1112 transferred to another institution.
Wayne State lost contact with the remaining 793 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 32 | 1.6% |
| Transferred | 1112 | 56.5% |
| Dropped Out | 793 | 40.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 25% |
| Asian | 75% |
| Black / African-American | 31% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 45% |
| International | 74% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 37% |
| Unknown | 56% |
| 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 Wayne State 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 Wayne State University represent 47.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne State graduation rate was 60%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | Wayne State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 60% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 47.82% |
903 first-time / full-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
555 transferred to another institution.
Wayne State lost contact with the remaining 315 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 3.65% |
| Transferred | 555 | 61.46% |
| Dropped Out | 315 | 34.88% |
First-time / part-time students at Wayne State University represent 3.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne State graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Wayne State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
154 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
102 transferred to another institution.
Wayne State lost contact with the remaining 50 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.30% |
| Transferred | 102 | 66.23% |
| Dropped Out | 50 | 32.47% |
Returning / full-time students at Wayne State University represent 30.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne State graduation rate was 69%, and by the eight year mark, 71% 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 | Wayne State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 69% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 55.07% |
457 non first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
237 transferred to another institution.
Wayne State lost contact with the remaining 207 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.84% |
| Transferred | 237 | 51.86% |
| Dropped Out | 207 | 45.30% |
Returning / part-time students at Wayne State University represent 17.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne State graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | Wayne State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 37.80% |
454 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
218 transferred to another institution.
Wayne State lost contact with the remaining 221 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 3.30% |
| Transferred | 218 | 48.02% |
| Dropped Out | 221 | 48.68% |
