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Table 326.30. | Retention of first-time degree-seeking undergraduates at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by attendance status, level and control of institution, and percentage of applications accepted: Selected years, 2006 to 2019 |
Attendance status, level, control, and percent of applications accepted | First-time degree-seekers (adjusted entry cohort),1 by entry year | Students from adjusted cohort returning in the following year | Percent of first-time undergraduates retained | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | 2009 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2007 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2006 to 2007 | 2009 to 2010 | 2014 to 2015 | 2015 to 2016 | 2016 to 2017 | 2017 to 2018 | 2018 to 2019 | |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Full-time students | |||||||||||||||||||||
All institutions | 2,170,504 | 2,371,220 | 2,211,406 | 2,180,675 | 2,177,194 | 2,180,000 | 2,189,016 | 1,541,201 | 1,705,242 | 1,647,295 | 1,640,963 | 1,643,904 | 1,648,563 | 1,667,255 | 71.0 | 71.9 | 74.5 | 75.3 | 75.5 | 75.6 | 76.2 |
Public institutions | 1,522,928 | 1,732,822 | 1,639,875 | 1,619,768 | 1,620,387 | 1,624,257 | 1,629,013 | 1,071,986 | 1,222,688 | 1,200,374 | 1,198,609 | 1,203,750 | 1,206,831 | 1,218,853 | 70.4 | 70.6 | 73.2 | 74.0 | 74.3 | 74.3 | 74.8 |
Nonprofit institutions | 466,078 | 478,755 | 489,834 | 491,898 | 491,742 | 505,749 | 511,834 | 368,783 | 381,364 | 396,659 | 399,434 | 399,354 | 409,756 | 416,353 | 79.1 | 79.7 | 81.0 | 81.2 | 81.2 | 81.0 | 81.3 |
For-profit institutions | 181,498 | 159,643 | 81,697 | 69,009 | 65,065 | 49,994 | 48,169 | 100,432 | 101,190 | 50,262 | 42,920 | 40,800 | 31,976 | 32,049 | 55.3 | 63.4 | 61.5 | 62.2 | 62.7 | 64.0 | 66.5 |
4-year institutions |
1,457,745 | 1,452,575 | 1,501,582 | 1,524,088 | 1,534,945 | 1,552,952 | 1,575,193 | 1,114,923 | 1,146,534 | 1,212,464 | 1,231,920 | 1,242,850 | 1,257,806 | 1,280,414 | 76.5 | 78.9 | 80.7 | 80.8 | 81.0 | 81.0 | 81.3 |
Public institutions |
911,509 | 936,840 | 995,110 | 1,018,253 | 1,028,968 | 1,041,528 | 1,058,081 | 711,200 | 745,703 | 807,687 | 825,885 | 836,675 | 845,962 | 861,878 | 78.0 | 79.6 | 81.2 | 81.1 | 81.3 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
Open admissions | 61,832 | 45,458 | 31,477 | 26,888 | 26,839 | 27,518 | 27,825 | 38,383 | 28,675 | 19,618 | 16,689 | 16,671 | 17,296 | 16,898 | 62.1 | 63.1 | 62.3 | 62.1 | 62.1 | 62.9 | 60.7 |
90 percent or more accepted | 68,835 | 63,453 | 60,160 | 71,117 | 69,603 | 82,664 | 90,253 | 49,274 | 46,280 | 43,559 | 51,533 | 50,537 | 60,453 | 66,987 | 71.6 | 72.9 | 72.4 | 72.5 | 72.6 | 73.1 | 74.2 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 244,177 | 212,573 | 281,422 | 317,658 | 288,854 | 306,275 | 345,056 | 185,457 | 163,639 | 221,245 | 251,113 | 228,127 | 241,653 | 272,382 | 76.0 | 77.0 | 78.6 | 79.1 | 79.0 | 78.9 | 78.9 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 417,093 | 462,554 | 456,622 | 435,275 | 468,321 | 433,857 | 402,931 | 336,365 | 376,021 | 376,587 | 357,438 | 383,791 | 354,829 | 331,743 | 80.6 | 81.3 | 82.5 | 82.1 | 82.0 | 81.8 | 82.3 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 103,118 | 131,241 | 145,622 | 150,981 | 156,438 | 167,077 | 161,544 | 88,908 | 112,209 | 128,568 | 133,668 | 139,838 | 148,466 | 144,458 | 86.2 | 85.5 | 88.3 | 88.5 | 89.4 | 88.9 | 89.4 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 7,716 | 14,326 | 14,947 | 15,563 | 15,951 | 22,740 | 30,371 | 7,048 | 13,649 | 14,336 | 14,959 | 15,330 | 21,999 | 29,339 | 91.3 | 95.3 | 95.9 | 96.1 | 96.1 | 96.7 | 96.6 |
Information not available | 8,738 | 7,235 | 4,860 | 771 | 2,962 | 1,397 | 101 | 5,765 | 5,230 | 3,774 | 485 | 2,381 | 1,266 | 71 | 66.0 | 72.3 | 77.7 | 62.9 | 80.4 | 90.6 | 70.3 |
Nonprofit institutions |
457,505 | 470,795 | 476,823 | 481,241 | 484,334 | 495,012 | 501,254 | 363,459 | 376,668 | 388,745 | 392,330 | 394,415 | 402,044 | 408,536 | 79.4 | 80.0 | 81.5 | 81.5 | 81.4 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
Open admissions | 26,565 | 22,613 | 11,792 | 13,289 | 13,378 | 12,116 | 16,599 | 16,019 | 14,349 | 7,414 | 8,499 | 8,795 | 7,870 | 10,314 | 60.3 | 63.5 | 62.9 | 64.0 | 65.7 | 65.0 | 62.1 |
90 percent or more accepted | 13,632 | 15,135 | 22,225 | 28,503 | 23,596 | 33,038 | 30,924 | 9,543 | 10,953 | 16,188 | 20,247 | 16,897 | 23,969 | 22,466 | 70.0 | 72.4 | 72.8 | 71.0 | 71.6 | 72.5 | 72.6 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 102,358 | 80,301 | 94,830 | 80,940 | 91,372 | 92,984 | 104,763 | 78,424 | 62,196 | 74,984 | 63,872 | 71,328 | 72,983 | 82,717 | 76.6 | 77.5 | 79.1 | 78.9 | 78.1 | 78.5 | 79.0 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 190,079 | 218,072 | 199,677 | 199,442 | 203,979 | 201,208 | 200,478 | 148,681 | 170,232 | 157,866 | 157,181 | 162,016 | 158,251 | 158,123 | 78.2 | 78.1 | 79.1 | 78.8 | 79.4 | 78.7 | 78.9 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 93,560 | 98,312 | 95,164 | 102,823 | 98,053 | 95,866 | 77,385 | 81,880 | 84,941 | 82,511 | 89,426 | 84,421 | 82,883 | 66,589 | 87.5 | 86.4 | 86.7 | 87.0 | 86.1 | 86.5 | 86.0 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 26,696 | 32,980 | 48,076 | 54,573 | 51,642 | 55,035 | 70,291 | 25,639 | 31,790 | 46,054 | 51,699 | 49,508 | 53,162 | 67,789 | 96.0 | 96.4 | 95.8 | 94.7 | 95.9 | 96.6 | 96.4 |
Information not available | 4,615 | 3,382 | 5,059 | 1,671 | 2,314 | 4,765 | 814 | 3,273 | 2,207 | 3,728 | 1,406 | 1,450 | 2,926 | 538 | 70.9 | 65.3 | 73.7 | 84.1 | 62.7 | 61.4 | 66.1 |
For-profit institutions |
88,731 | 44,940 | 29,649 | 24,594 | 21,643 | 16,412 | 15,858 | 40,264 | 24,163 | 16,032 | 13,705 | 11,760 | 9,800 | 10,000 | 45.4 | 53.8 | 54.1 | 55.7 | 54.3 | 59.7 | 63.1 |
Open admissions | 45,240 | 16,826 | 21,732 | 16,511 | 13,943 | 10,035 | 8,995 | 18,720 | 9,260 | 10,827 | 8,270 | 6,706 | 5,487 | 5,314 | 41.4 | 55.0 | 49.8 | 50.1 | 48.1 | 54.7 | 59.1 |
90 percent or more accepted | 6,285 | 3,722 | 591 | 770 | 1,108 | 803 | 409 | 3,454 | 1,311 | 308 | 472 | 559 | 560 | 214 | 55.0 | 35.2 | 52.1 | 61.3 | 50.5 | 69.7 | 52.3 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 3,703 | 3,224 | 5,265 | 3,253 | 1,174 | 2,900 | 3,537 | 2,081 | 1,549 | 3,459 | 2,159 | 885 | 1,852 | 2,316 | 56.2 | 48.0 | 65.7 | 66.4 | 75.4 | 63.9 | 65.5 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 12,845 | 12,061 | 1,489 | 3,000 | 4,577 | 2,344 | 2,120 | 6,536 | 6,839 | 994 | 1,973 | 3,108 | 1,639 | 1,525 | 50.9 | 56.7 | 66.8 | 65.8 | 67.9 | 69.9 | 71.9 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 18,142 | 6,098 | 463 | 1,020 | 672 | 300 | 624 | 8,036 | 3,423 | 353 | 802 | 363 | 240 | 497 | 44.3 | 56.1 | 76.2 | 78.6 | 54.0 | 80.0 | 79.6 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | † | 66.7 | † | 100.0 | 100.0 | † | 33.3 |
Information not available | 2,516 | 3,006 | 109 | 32 | 168 | 30 | 170 | 1,437 | 1,779 | 91 | 21 | 138 | 22 | 133 | 57.1 | 59.2 | 83.5 | 65.6 | 82.1 | 73.3 | 78.2 |
2-year institutions |
712,759 | 918,645 | 709,824 | 656,587 | 642,249 | 627,048 | 613,823 | 426,278 | 558,708 | 434,831 | 409,043 | 401,054 | 390,757 | 386,841 | 59.8 | 60.8 | 61.3 | 62.3 | 62.4 | 62.3 | 63.0 |
Public institutions | 611,419 | 795,982 | 644,765 | 601,515 | 591,419 | 582,729 | 570,932 | 360,786 | 476,985 | 392,687 | 372,724 | 367,075 | 360,869 | 356,975 | 59.0 | 59.9 | 60.9 | 62.0 | 62.1 | 61.9 | 62.5 |
Nonprofit institutions | 8,573 | 7,960 | 13,011 | 10,657 | 7,408 | 10,737 | 10,580 | 5,324 | 4,696 | 7,914 | 7,104 | 4,939 | 7,712 | 7,817 | 62.1 | 59.0 | 60.8 | 66.7 | 66.7 | 71.8 | 73.9 |
For-profit institutions | 92,767 | 114,703 | 52,048 | 44,415 | 43,422 | 33,582 | 32,311 | 60,168 | 77,027 | 34,230 | 29,215 | 29,040 | 22,176 | 22,049 | 64.9 | 67.2 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 66.9 | 66.0 | 68.2 |
Part-time students |
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All institutions | 461,574 | 545,635 | 470,772 | 429,109 | 411,269 | 403,410 | 381,623 | 190,547 | 229,566 | 205,366 | 192,527 | 186,683 | 182,673 | 171,588 | 41.3 | 42.1 | 43.6 | 44.9 | 45.4 | 45.3 | 45.0 |
Public institutions | 417,314 | 497,453 | 445,495 | 404,279 | 390,075 | 379,770 | 359,572 | 170,682 | 209,164 | 195,147 | 181,993 | 177,878 | 172,723 | 161,996 | 40.9 | 42.0 | 43.8 | 45.0 | 45.6 | 45.5 | 45.1 |
Nonprofit institutions | 14,618 | 10,359 | 8,885 | 10,446 | 8,825 | 13,898 | 12,349 | 7,027 | 4,892 | 3,681 | 4,951 | 3,893 | 5,965 | 5,377 | 48.1 | 47.2 | 41.4 | 47.4 | 44.1 | 42.9 | 43.5 |
For-profit institutions | 29,642 | 37,823 | 16,392 | 14,384 | 12,369 | 9,742 | 9,702 | 12,838 | 15,510 | 6,538 | 5,583 | 4,912 | 3,985 | 4,215 | 43.3 | 41.0 | 39.9 | 38.8 | 39.7 | 40.9 | 43.4 |
4-year institutions |
81,423 | 72,046 | 46,606 | 48,716 | 46,515 | 50,249 | 48,847 | 37,988 | 32,344 | 21,818 | 23,845 | 22,669 | 24,708 | 23,983 | 46.7 | 44.9 | 46.8 | 48.9 | 48.7 | 49.2 | 49.1 |
Public institutions |
47,377 | 33,327 | 25,833 | 28,096 | 29,746 | 29,463 | 29,077 | 23,337 | 16,944 | 13,917 | 15,374 | 16,029 | 16,153 | 15,575 | 49.3 | 50.8 | 53.9 | 54.7 | 53.9 | 54.8 | 53.6 |
Open admissions | 19,247 | 8,356 | 4,605 | 4,412 | 5,403 | 4,176 | 4,152 | 8,004 | 3,586 | 1,791 | 1,873 | 2,136 | 1,654 | 1,694 | 41.6 | 42.9 | 38.9 | 42.5 | 39.5 | 39.6 | 40.8 |
90 percent or more accepted | 3,745 | 4,004 | 1,951 | 2,931 | 2,326 | 2,509 | 2,511 | 1,909 | 1,959 | 880 | 1,382 | 1,013 | 1,089 | 1,157 | 51.0 | 48.9 | 45.1 | 47.2 | 43.6 | 43.4 | 46.1 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 8,969 | 6,493 | 6,663 | 8,722 | 9,007 | 9,642 | 11,111 | 4,196 | 3,268 | 3,591 | 4,972 | 4,925 | 5,319 | 6,068 | 46.8 | 50.3 | 53.9 | 57.0 | 54.7 | 55.2 | 54.6 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 11,599 | 11,254 | 10,343 | 9,815 | 10,729 | 10,892 | 9,379 | 6,766 | 6,053 | 6,107 | 5,654 | 6,458 | 6,629 | 5,348 | 58.3 | 53.8 | 59.0 | 57.6 | 60.2 | 60.9 | 57.0 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 3,373 | 3,046 | 2,040 | 2,112 | 2,103 | 2,176 | 1,788 | 2,223 | 1,982 | 1,395 | 1,433 | 1,392 | 1,414 | 1,208 | 65.9 | 65.1 | 68.4 | 67.9 | 66.2 | 65.0 | 67.6 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 65 | 44 | 58 | 48 | 65 | 58 | 80 | 50 | 35 | 49 | 38 | 57 | 44 | 63 | 76.9 | 79.5 | 84.5 | 79.2 | 87.7 | 75.9 | 78.8 |
Information not available | 379 | 130 | 173 | 56 | 113 | 10 | 56 | 189 | 61 | 104 | 22 | 48 | 4 | 37 | 49.9 | 46.9 | 60.1 | 39.3 | 42.5 | 40.0 | 66.1 |
Nonprofit institutions |
12,861 | 9,599 | 8,093 | 9,686 | 7,962 | 13,352 | 11,700 | 6,054 | 4,491 | 3,322 | 4,612 | 3,553 | 5,755 | 5,150 | 47.1 | 46.8 | 41.0 | 47.6 | 44.6 | 43.1 | 44.0 |
Open admissions | 5,419 | 3,821 | 1,450 | 1,540 | 1,583 | 1,757 | 1,988 | 2,558 | 1,693 | 486 | 673 | 660 | 758 | 862 | 47.2 | 44.3 | 33.5 | 43.7 | 41.7 | 43.1 | 43.4 |
90 percent or more accepted | 523 | 393 | 494 | 3,769 | 1,990 | 911 | 985 | 237 | 199 | 204 | 1,882 | 887 | 565 | 519 | 45.3 | 50.6 | 41.3 | 49.9 | 44.6 | 62.0 | 52.7 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 2,459 | 1,164 | 1,903 | 874 | 938 | 4,522 | 1,009 | 1,047 | 550 | 811 | 422 | 465 | 1,967 | 442 | 42.6 | 47.3 | 42.6 | 48.3 | 49.6 | 43.5 | 43.8 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 3,131 | 3,256 | 2,231 | 1,812 | 2,358 | 1,985 | 7,178 | 1,406 | 1,531 | 928 | 839 | 1,018 | 872 | 3,026 | 44.9 | 47.0 | 41.6 | 46.3 | 43.2 | 43.9 | 42.2 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 853 | 715 | 815 | 866 | 587 | 1,026 | 407 | 452 | 366 | 394 | 381 | 263 | 427 | 191 | 53.0 | 51.2 | 48.3 | 44.0 | 44.8 | 41.6 | 46.9 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 112 | 93 | 136 | 640 | 458 | 99 | 126 | 86 | 78 | 123 | 302 | 238 | 84 | 110 | 76.8 | 83.9 | 90.4 | 47.2 | 52.0 | 84.8 | 87.3 |
Information not available | 364 | 157 | 1,064 | 185 | 48 | 3,052 | 7 | 268 | 74 | 376 | 113 | 22 | 1,082 | 0 | 73.6 | 47.1 | 35.3 | 61.1 | 45.8 | 35.5 | 0.0 |
For-profit institutions |
21,185 | 29,120 | 12,680 | 10,934 | 8,807 | 7,434 | 8,070 | 8,597 | 10,909 | 4,579 | 3,859 | 3,087 | 2,800 | 3,258 | 40.6 | 37.5 | 36.1 | 35.3 | 35.1 | 37.7 | 40.4 |
Open admissions | 10,514 | 10,926 | 10,089 | 8,822 | 6,384 | 5,667 | 5,999 | 4,121 | 4,299 | 3,863 | 3,183 | 2,388 | 2,227 | 2,528 | 39.2 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 36.1 | 37.4 | 39.3 | 42.1 |
90 percent or more accepted | 2,212 | 1,372 | 123 | 246 | 453 | 204 | 205 | 639 | 375 | 30 | 85 | 115 | 47 | 55 | 28.9 | 27.3 | 24.4 | 34.6 | 25.4 | 23.0 | 26.8 |
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted | 2,838 | 3,151 | 1,794 | 1,027 | 109 | 1,065 | 1,315 | 1,342 | 1,093 | 492 | 259 | 29 | 382 | 501 | 47.3 | 34.7 | 27.4 | 25.2 | 26.6 | 35.9 | 38.1 |
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted | 2,774 | 4,591 | 586 | 753 | 812 | 487 | 494 | 1,134 | 2,249 | 158 | 282 | 328 | 141 | 146 | 40.9 | 49.0 | 27.0 | 37.5 | 40.4 | 29.0 | 29.6 |
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted | 2,033 | 1,099 | 9 | 81 | 1,043 | 6 | 33 | 627 | 342 | 2 | 45 | 227 | 3 | 14 | 30.8 | 31.1 | 22.2 | 55.6 | 21.8 | 50.0 | 42.4 |
Less than 25.0 percent accepted | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | † | † | † | † | † | † | † |
Information not available | 814 | 7,981 | 79 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 734 | 2,551 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 90.2 | 32.0 | 43.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 58.3 |
2-year institutions |
380,151 | 473,589 | 424,166 | 380,393 | 364,754 | 353,161 | 332,776 | 152,559 | 197,222 | 183,548 | 168,682 | 164,014 | 157,965 | 147,605 | 40.1 | 41.6 | 43.3 | 44.3 | 45.0 | 44.7 | 44.4 |
Public institutions | 369,937 | 464,126 | 419,662 | 376,183 | 360,329 | 350,307 | 330,495 | 147,345 | 192,220 | 181,230 | 166,619 | 161,849 | 156,570 | 146,421 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 43.2 | 44.3 | 44.9 | 44.7 | 44.3 |
Nonprofit institutions | 1,757 | 760 | 792 | 760 | 863 | 546 | 649 | 973 | 401 | 359 | 339 | 340 | 210 | 227 | 55.4 | 52.8 | 45.3 | 44.6 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 35.0 |
For-profit institutions | 8,457 | 8,703 | 3,712 | 3,450 | 3,562 | 2,308 | 1,632 | 4,241 | 4,601 | 1,959 | 1,724 | 1,825 | 1,185 | 957 | 50.1 | 52.9 | 52.8 | 50.0 | 51.2 | 51.3 | 58.6 |
†Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||||
1 Adjusted entry cohort counts exclude students who died or were totally and permanently disabled, served in the armed forces (including those called to active duty), served with a foreign aid service of the federal government (e.g., Peace Corps), or served on official church missions. | |||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: Data in this table represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. For 4-year institutions, entry cohorts are based on first-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students. For 2-year institutions, entry cohorts are based on first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. At 2-year institutions, retained students include those who re-enrolled at the institution in the following fall term or completed their degree/certificate by the following fall term (e.g., short-term certificate program). Some data have been revised from previously published figures. | |||||||||||||||||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2008 through Spring 2020, Fall Enrollment component; and IPEDS Fall 2006 through Fall 2018, Institutional Characteristics component. (This table was prepared January 2021.) |