by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Winona 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.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 79% students making it past their freshmen year, Winona 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 Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Winona State | 79% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Minnesota | 67.05% |
How many of the estimated 1443 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 51% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 64% of the students had graduated and after eight years 65% 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 Winona State graduation rate 64%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1139 | 51% |
| Six Years | 1443 | 64% |
| Eight Years | 25 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 782 | 35% |
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 782 students or 35% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 782 students who did not complete their degree?
24 are still enrolled.
567 transferred to another institution.
Winona State lost contact with the remaining 205 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 3.1% |
| Transferred | 567 | 72.5% |
| Dropped Out | 205 | 26.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Asian | 36% |
| Black / African-American | 35% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 53% |
| International | 62% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 49% |
| Unknown | 67% |
| White | 63% |
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.
The majority of students at Winona State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Winona State University represent 70.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Winona State graduation rate was 61%, 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 | Winona State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 61% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 47.82% |
592 first-time / full-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
451 transferred to another institution.
Winona State lost contact with the remaining 138 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.51% |
| Transferred | 451 | 76.18% |
| Dropped Out | 138 | 23.31% |
First-time / part-time students at Winona State University represent 0.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Winona State graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Winona State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
11 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
Winona State lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 9.09% |
| Transferred | 7 | 63.64% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 27.27% |
Returning / full-time students at Winona State University represent 18.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Winona State graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Winona State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 55.07% |
110 non first-time / part-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
73 transferred to another institution.
Winona State lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.73% |
| Transferred | 73 | 66.36% |
| Dropped Out | 34 | 30.91% |
Returning / part-time students at Winona State University represent 10.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Winona State graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 72% 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 | Winona State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 67% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 72% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 72% | 37.80% |
69 non first-time / part-time students or 28% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
Winona State lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 4.35% |
| Transferred | 36 | 52.17% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 43.48% |
