Progress & Completion includes retention rates, graduation rates, degrees conferred, detail for underrepresented and lower-income students, and graduation at non-UW schools.
Measures of performance and success should be viewed through the lens of university context and mission. The Universities of Wisconsin have differences in missions, students served, and resource capacity. All UW universities work to create environments that respond to their unique mission-driven mandates and support their student success goals.
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Technical Notes
Retention and graduation
Retention and graduation rates are reported for new freshmen entering full-time at UW four-year campuses and returning to or graduating from the same UW university or from any UW university. Beginning with fall 2013 cohort, six-year graduation at same UW includes graduation at the four-year campus and its affiliated two-year campus(es). Beginning with fall 2015 cohort, four-year graduation at same UW includes graduation at the four-year campus and its affiliated two-year campus(es). The Universities of Wisconsin also retain and graduate additional students who enter four-year campuses as part-time new freshmen or as new transfer students from two-year campuses and from non-UW institutions.
National rates are based on public four-year institutions, including military service schools but excluding four-year institutions in U.S. territories and outlying areas. Peer rates are based on public institutions serving students with similar academic and socioeconomic characteristics. National and peer rates reflect returning to or graduating from the same institution. National and peer 4-year grad rates are reported for an entering cohort only when a 6-year rate is also available. Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
UW Retention & Graduation Peers
Retention and graduation of underrepresented groups and by race/ethnicity
Race/ethnicity is self-reported by the individual in one or more of the following categories: African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), Southeast Asian, Other Asian American, White, and International. Beginning in fall 2008, new race/ethnicity categories were implemented that allow for self-identifying as Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or as more than one race/ethnicity; these new categories are reported where data are available. The category of Hispanic/Latino(a) includes students identifying as Hispanic/Latino(a) alone or in combination with other race/ethnicities. Individuals who are non-resident aliens (temporary U.S. visa holders) are categorized as International. Individuals who are not International and do not report a race or ethnicity are categorized as Unknown.
Underrepresented minority (URM) students include those who indicated African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), or Southeast Asian alone or in combination with other race/ethnicities. Non-URM students include students identifying as White, other Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or any combination of these three race/ethnicities. International students are not included.
Pell Grant recipients include students receiving a Pell Grant in the freshman year. All other students are classified as non-Pell. Pell Grant data are available beginning in 1977.
To protect student privacy, rates are not shown when 5 or fewer students were retained or graduated.
Degrees conferred by race/ethnicity
Race/ethnicity is self-reported by the individual in one or more of the following categories: African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), Southeast Asian, Other Asian American, White, and International. Beginning in fall 2008, new race/ethnicity categories were implemented that allow for self-identifying as Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or as more than one race/ethnicity; these new categories are reported where data are available. The category of Hispanic/Latino(a) includes students identifying as Hispanic/Latino(a) alone or in combination with other race/ethnicities. Individuals who are non-resident aliens (temporary U.S. visa holders) are categorized as International. Individuals who are not International and do not report a race or ethnicity are categorized as Unknown.
Success and progress of new undergraduates
Rates for new freshmen and new transfer students are for those entering full-time at UW four-year campuses only. “Graduated” means earning a bachelor’s degree; “still enrolled” indicates enrollment at a two-year or four-year campus. (Although similar to the success and progress rates reported at Student Achievement Measure (SAM), graduation with an associate degree is not included.) Data from non-UW institutions is from the National Student Clearinghouse, which includes 99% of all U.S. college students’ enrollment and degree data.