by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding WVU 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, WVU 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 West Virginia, the average is 70.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WVU | 83% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| West Virginia | 70.53% |
There were approximately 4069 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 47% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 62% of the students had graduated and after eight years 63% 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 WVU graduation rate 62%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3054 | 47% |
| Six Years | 4069 | 62% |
| Eight Years | 57 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2437 | 37% |
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 2437 students or 37% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2437 students who did not complete their degree?
16 are still enrolled.
1484 transferred to another institution.
WVU lost contact with the remaining 953 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 1484 | 60.9% |
| Dropped Out | 953 | 39.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 43% |
| Asian | 69% |
| Black / African-American | 45% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 50% |
| International | 62% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 49% |
| Unknown | 62% |
| White | 63% |
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.
The majority of students at WVU 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 West Virginia University represent 80.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WVU graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | WVU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 62% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 47.82% |
1980 first-time / full-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1252 transferred to another institution.
WVU lost contact with the remaining 728 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1252 | 63.23% |
| Dropped Out | 728 | 36.77% |
First-time / part-time students at West Virginia University represent 0.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WVU graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | WVU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
22 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
13 transferred to another institution.
WVU lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 13 | 59.09% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 40.91% |
Returning / full-time students at West Virginia University represent 16.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WVU graduation rate was 67%, 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 | WVU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 67% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
345 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
178 transferred to another institution.
WVU lost contact with the remaining 167 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 178 | 51.59% |
| Dropped Out | 167 | 48.41% |
Returning / part-time students at West Virginia University represent 2.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WVU 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 | WVU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 37.80% |
90 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.
41 transferred to another institution.
WVU lost contact with the remaining 49 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 41 | 45.56% |
| Dropped Out | 49 | 54.44% |
