by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Wilmington University 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, Wilmington University 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 Delaware, the average is 73.50%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wilmington University | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Delaware | 73.50% |
How many of the estimated 1473 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 Wilmington University graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1245 | 36% |
| Six Years | 1473 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 71 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1902 | 55% |
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 1902 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1902 students who did not complete their degree?
10 are still enrolled.
752 transferred to another institution.
Wilmington University lost contact with the remaining 1061 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 752 | 39.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1061 | 55.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Black / African-American | 14% |
| Hispanic | 20% |
| International | 25% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 7% |
| White | 32% |
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 Wilmington University 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 Wilmington University represent 9.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wilmington University graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Wilmington University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 19% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 47.82% |
258 first-time / full-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
107 transferred to another institution.
Wilmington University lost contact with the remaining 141 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 3.88% |
| Transferred | 107 | 41.47% |
| Dropped Out | 141 | 54.65% |
First-time / part-time students at Wilmington University represent 15.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wilmington University graduation rate was 4%, and by the eight year mark, 5% 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 | Wilmington University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 4% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 5% | 23.72% |
508 first-time / part-time students or 95% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
226 transferred to another institution.
Wilmington University lost contact with the remaining 266 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 3.15% |
| Transferred | 226 | 44.49% |
| Dropped Out | 266 | 52.36% |
Returning / full-time students at Wilmington University represent 29.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wilmington University graduation rate was 64%, and by the eight year mark, 66% 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 | Wilmington University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 64% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 66% | 55.07% |
349 non first-time / part-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
113 transferred to another institution.
Wilmington University lost contact with the remaining 223 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 3.72% |
| Transferred | 113 | 32.38% |
| Dropped Out | 223 | 63.90% |
Returning / part-time students at Wilmington University represent 45.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wilmington University graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | Wilmington University | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 37.80% |
787 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
50 are still enrolled.
306 transferred to another institution.
Wilmington University lost contact with the remaining 431 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 50 | 6.35% |
| Transferred | 306 | 38.88% |
| Dropped Out | 431 | 54.76% |
