by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many WSU Tech first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at WSU Tech. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 67% students making it past their freshmen year, WSU Tech 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 Kansas, the average is 65.77%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WSU Tech | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kansas | 65.77% |
There were approximately 634 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 41% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 WSU Tech graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 617 | 41% |
| Six Years | 634 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 847 | 57% |
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 847 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 847 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
363 transferred to another institution.
WSU Tech lost contact with the remaining 467 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 363 | 42.9% |
| Dropped Out | 467 | 55.1% |
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 WSU Tech 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 Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology represent 30.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WSU Tech graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | WSU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 50% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 47.82% |
227 first-time / full-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
89 transferred to another institution.
WSU Tech lost contact with the remaining 137 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.44% |
| Transferred | 89 | 39.21% |
| Dropped Out | 137 | 60.35% |
First-time / part-time students at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology represent 32.73% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WSU Tech graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | WSU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 32% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
329 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
120 transferred to another institution.
WSU Tech lost contact with the remaining 201 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.43% |
| Transferred | 120 | 36.47% |
| Dropped Out | 201 | 61.09% |
Returning / full-time students at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology represent 16.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WSU Tech graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | WSU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 62% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 55.07% |
92 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
45 transferred to another institution.
WSU Tech lost contact with the remaining 43 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 4.35% |
| Transferred | 45 | 48.91% |
| Dropped Out | 43 | 46.74% |
Returning / part-time students at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology represent 19.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WSU Tech graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | WSU Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 37.80% |
199 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
WSU Tech lost contact with the remaining 86 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.01% |
| Transferred | 109 | 54.77% |
| Dropped Out | 86 | 43.22% |
