Persistence & Retention – 2019

First-Year Persistence and Retention for Fall 2017 Cohort

• Of the 3.5 million students who enrolled in college for the first time in fall 2017, 74 percent or 2.6 million students persisted as of fall 2018.
• The overall first-year persistence rate has improved slightly, with a 2.2 percentage point gain between 2009 and 2017.
• New to this year’s report are the persistence rates for top five popular major fields in baccalaureate and sub-baccalaureate programs.    

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List of Figures

First-Year Persistence and Retention

Figure 1. By Starting Enrollment Intensity, All Institutions, 2009-2017

Figure 2. By Race and Ethnicity, All Institutions, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort

Figure 3. By Age at College Entry, All Institutions, 2009-2017

First-Year Persistence and Retention by Starting Institution Type

Figure 4. Four-Year Public Institutions, 2009-2017

Figure 5. Four-Year Public Institutions, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort by Race and Ethnicity

Figure 6. Two-Year Public Institutions, 2009-2017

Figure 7. Two-Year Public Institutions, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort by Race and Ethnicity

Figure 8. Four-Year Private Nonprofit Institutions, 2009-2017

Figure 9. Four-Year Private Nonprofit Institutions, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort by Race and Ethnicity

Figure 10. Four-Year Private For-Profit Institutions, 2010-2017

First-Year Persistence and Retention by Major Field

Figure 11. Top Five Popular Majors, Bachelor’s Degree Programs, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort

Figure 12. Top Five Popular Majors, Associate Degree Programs, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort

Figure 13. Top Five Popular Majors, Undergraduate Certificate Programs, Fall 2017 Entering Cohort