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 through 2020

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	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2007	2010	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2006 to 2007	2009 to 2010	2015 to 2016	2016 to 2017	2017 to 2018	2018 to 2019	2019 to 2020
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	2,180,675	2,177,194	2,180,000	2,188,713	2,171,848	1,541,201	1,705,242	1,640,963	1,643,904	1,648,563	1,667,000	1,647,438	71.0	71.9	75.3	75.5	75.6	76.2	75.9
Public institutions	1,522,928	1,732,822	1,619,768	1,620,387	1,624,257	1,628,989	1,619,873	1,071,986	1,222,688	1,198,609	1,203,750	1,206,831	1,218,828	1,212,208	70.4	70.6	74.0	74.3	74.3	74.8	74.8
Nonprofit institutions	466,078	478,755	491,898	491,742	505,749	511,667	499,022	368,783	381,364	399,434	399,354	409,756	416,202	400,368	79.1	79.7	81.2	81.2	81.0	81.3	80.2
For-profit institutions	181,498	159,643	69,009	65,065	49,994	48,057	52,953	100,432	101,190	42,920	40,800	31,976	31,970	34,862	55.3	63.4	62.2	62.7	64.0	66.5	65.8
4-year institutions	1,457,745	1,452,575	1,524,088	1,534,945	1,552,952	1,574,897	1,566,766	1,114,923	1,146,534	1,231,920	1,242,850	1,257,806	1,280,145	1,278,045	76.5	78.9	80.8	81.0	81.0	81.3	81.6
Public institutions	911,509	936,840	1,018,253	1,028,968	1,041,528	1,058,064	1,059,085	711,200	745,703	825,885	836,675	845,962	861,864	872,736	78.0	79.6	81.1	81.3	81.2	81.5	82.4
Open admissions	61,832	45,458	26,888	26,839	27,518	27,814	32,771	38,383	28,675	16,689	16,671	17,296	16,898	19,183	62.1	63.1	62.1	62.1	62.9	60.8	58.5
90 percent or more accepted	68,835	63,453	71,117	69,603	82,664	90,253	107,300	49,274	46,280	51,533	50,537	60,453	66,987	81,005	71.6	72.9	72.5	72.6	73.1	74.2	75.5
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	244,177	212,573	317,658	288,854	306,275	345,052	374,638	185,457	163,639	251,113	228,127	241,653	272,368	302,365	76.0	77.0	79.1	79.0	78.9	78.9	80.7
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	417,093	462,554	435,275	468,321	433,857	402,929	362,384	336,365	376,021	357,438	383,791	354,829	331,743	304,861	80.6	81.3	82.1	82.0	81.8	82.3	84.1
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	103,118	131,241	150,981	156,438	167,077	161,544	132,193	88,908	112,209	133,668	139,838	148,466	144,458	118,895	86.2	85.5	88.5	89.4	88.9	89.4	89.9
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	7,716	14,326	15,563	15,951	22,740	30,371	34,272	7,048	13,649	14,959	15,330	21,999	29,339	32,932	91.3	95.3	96.1	96.1	96.7	96.6	96.1
Information not available	8,738	7,235	771	2,962	1,397	101	15,527	5,765	5,230	485	2,381	1,266	71	13,495	66.0	72.3	62.9	80.4	90.6	70.3	86.9
Nonprofit institutions	457,505	470,795	481,241	484,334	495,012	501,087	488,071	363,459	376,668	392,330	394,415	402,044	408,385	392,915	79.4	80.0	81.5	81.4	81.2	81.5	80.5
Open admissions	26,565	22,613	13,289	13,378	12,116	16,599	13,200	16,019	14,349	8,499	8,795	7,870	10,314	8,505	60.3	63.5	64.0	65.7	65.0	62.1	64.4
90 percent or more accepted	13,632	15,135	28,503	23,596	33,038	30,923	36,335	9,543	10,953	20,247	16,897	23,969	22,466	26,521	70.0	72.4	71.0	71.6	72.5	72.7	73.0
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	102,358	80,301	80,940	91,372	92,984	104,588	105,645	78,424	62,196	63,872	71,328	72,983	82,632	82,945	76.6	77.5	78.9	78.1	78.5	79.0	78.5
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	190,079	218,072	199,442	203,979	201,208	200,478	184,939	148,681	170,232	157,181	162,016	158,251	158,091	144,933	78.2	78.1	78.8	79.4	78.7	78.9	78.4
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	93,560	98,312	102,823	98,053	95,866	77,394	81,688	81,880	84,941	89,426	84,421	82,883	66,555	69,243	87.5	86.4	87.0	86.1	86.5	86.0	84.8
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	26,696	32,980	54,573	51,642	55,035	70,291	65,930	25,639	31,790	51,699	49,508	53,162	67,789	60,566	96.0	96.4	94.7	95.9	96.6	96.4	91.9
Information not available	4,615	3,382	1,671	2,314	4,765	814	334	3,273	2,207	1,406	1,450	2,926	538	202	70.9	65.3	84.1	62.7	61.4	66.1	60.5
For-profit institutions	88,731	44,940	24,594	21,643	16,412	15,746	19,610	40,264	24,163	13,705	11,760	9,800	9,896	12,394	45.4	53.8	55.7	54.3	59.7	62.8	63.2
Open admissions	45,240	16,826	16,511	13,943	10,035	8,883	9,147	18,720	9,260	8,270	6,706	5,487	5,210	5,000	41.4	55.0	50.1	48.1	54.7	58.7	54.7
90 percent or more accepted	6,285	3,722	770	1,108	803	409	1,396	3,454	1,311	472	559	560	214	862	55.0	35.2	61.3	50.5	69.7	52.3	61.7
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	3,703	3,224	3,253	1,174	2,900	3,537	6,395	2,081	1,549	2,159	885	1,852	2,316	4,649	56.2	48.0	66.4	75.4	63.9	65.5	72.7
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	12,845	12,061	3,000	4,577	2,344	2,120	1,697	6,536	6,839	1,973	3,108	1,639	1,525	1,124	50.9	56.7	65.8	67.9	69.9	71.9	66.2
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	18,142	6,098	1,020	672	300	624	940	8,036	3,423	802	363	240	497	737	44.3	56.1	78.6	54.0	80.0	79.6	78.4
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	0	3	8	1	0	3	1	0	2	8	1	0	1	1	†	66.7	100.0	100.0	†	33.3	100.0
Information not available	2,516	3,006	32	168	30	170	34	1,437	1,779	21	138	22	133	21	57.1	59.2	65.6	82.1	73.3	78.2	61.8
2-year institutions	712,759	918,645	656,587	642,249	627,048	613,816	605,082	426,278	558,708	409,043	401,054	390,757	386,855	369,393	59.8	60.8	62.3	62.4	62.3	63.0	61.0
Public institutions	611,419	795,982	601,515	591,419	582,729	570,925	560,788	360,786	476,985	372,724	367,075	360,869	356,964	339,472	59.0	59.9	62.0	62.1	61.9	62.5	60.5
Nonprofit institutions	8,573	7,960	10,657	7,408	10,737	10,580	10,951	5,324	4,696	7,104	4,939	7,712	7,817	7,453	62.1	59.0	66.7	66.7	71.8	73.9	68.1
For-profit institutions	92,767	114,703	44,415	43,422	33,582	32,311	33,343	60,168	77,027	29,215	29,040	22,176	22,074	22,468	64.9	67.2	65.8	66.9	66.0	68.3	67.4
Part-time students
All institutions	461,574	545,635	429,109	411,269	403,410	381,599	372,457	190,547	229,566	192,527	186,683	182,673	171,570	155,867	41.3	42.1	44.9	45.4	45.3	45.0	41.8
Public institutions	417,314	497,453	404,279	390,075	379,770	359,608	348,637	170,682	209,164	181,993	177,878	172,723	162,005	145,458	40.9	42.0	45.0	45.6	45.5	45.1	41.7
Nonprofit institutions	14,618	10,359	10,446	8,825	13,898	12,289	12,962	7,027	4,892	4,951	3,893	5,965	5,350	5,751	48.1	47.2	47.4	44.1	42.9	43.5	44.4
For-profit institutions	29,642	37,823	14,384	12,369	9,742	9,702	10,858	12,838	15,510	5,583	4,912	3,985	4,215	4,658	43.3	41.0	38.8	39.7	40.9	43.4	42.9
4-year institutions	81,423	72,046	48,716	46,515	50,249	48,795	57,288	37,988	32,344	23,845	22,669	24,708	23,959	28,504	46.7	44.9	48.9	48.7	49.2	49.1	49.8
Public institutions	47,377	33,327	28,096	29,746	29,463	29,077	35,615	23,337	16,944	15,374	16,029	16,153	15,578	19,208	49.3	50.8	54.7	53.9	54.8	53.6	53.9
Open admissions	19,247	8,356	4,412	5,403	4,176	4,152	9,965	8,004	3,586	1,873	2,136	1,654	1,694	4,597	41.6	42.9	42.5	39.5	39.6	40.8	46.1
90 percent or more accepted	3,745	4,004	2,931	2,326	2,509	2,511	3,938	1,909	1,959	1,382	1,013	1,089	1,160	1,863	51.0	48.9	47.2	43.6	43.4	46.2	47.3
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	8,969	6,493	8,722	9,007	9,642	11,111	10,609	4,196	3,268	4,972	4,925	5,319	6,068	5,905	46.8	50.3	57.0	54.7	55.2	54.6	55.7
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	11,599	11,254	9,815	10,729	10,892	9,379	9,410	6,766	6,053	5,654	6,458	6,629	5,348	5,663	58.3	53.8	57.6	60.2	60.9	57.0	60.2
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	3,373	3,046	2,112	2,103	2,176	1,788	1,435	2,223	1,982	1,433	1,392	1,414	1,208	1,015	65.9	65.1	67.9	66.2	65.0	67.6	70.7
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	65	44	48	65	58	80	77	50	35	38	57	44	63	60	76.9	79.5	79.2	87.7	75.9	78.8	77.9
Information not available	379	130	56	113	10	56	181	189	61	22	48	4	37	105	49.9	46.9	39.3	42.5	40.0	66.1	58.0
Nonprofit institutions	12,861	9,599	9,686	7,962	13,352	11,648	12,508	6,054	4,491	4,612	3,553	5,755	5,123	5,574	47.1	46.8	47.6	44.6	43.1	44.0	44.6
Open admissions	5,419	3,821	1,540	1,583	1,757	1,988	1,614	2,558	1,693	673	660	758	862	683	47.2	44.3	43.7	41.7	43.1	43.4	42.3
90 percent or more accepted	523	393	3,769	1,990	911	980	1,738	237	199	1,882	887	565	516	835	45.3	50.6	49.9	44.6	62.0	52.7	48.0
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	2,459	1,164	874	938	4,522	997	6,246	1,047	550	422	465	1,967	438	2,795	42.6	47.3	48.3	49.6	43.5	43.9	44.7
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	3,131	3,256	1,812	2,358	1,985	7,178	2,285	1,406	1,531	839	1,018	872	3,026	970	44.9	47.0	46.3	43.2	43.9	42.2	42.5
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	853	715	866	587	1,026	372	504	452	366	381	263	427	171	198	53.0	51.2	44.0	44.8	41.6	46.0	39.3
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	112	93	640	458	99	126	104	86	78	302	238	84	110	89	76.8	83.9	47.2	52.0	84.8	87.3	85.6
Information not available	364	157	185	48	3,052	7	17	268	74	113	22	1,082	0	4	73.6	47.1	61.1	45.8	35.5	0.0	23.5
For-profit institutions	21,185	29,120	10,934	8,807	7,434	8,070	9,165	8,597	10,909	3,859	3,087	2,800	3,258	3,722	40.6	37.5	35.3	35.1	37.7	40.4	40.6
Open admissions	10,514	10,926	8,822	6,384	5,667	5,999	6,647	4,121	4,299	3,183	2,388	2,227	2,528	2,730	39.2	39.3	36.1	37.4	39.3	42.1	41.1
90 percent or more accepted	2,212	1,372	246	453	204	205	1,381	639	375	85	115	47	55	513	28.9	27.3	34.6	25.4	23.0	26.8	37.1
75.0 to 89.9 percent accepted	2,838	3,151	1,027	109	1,065	1,315	1,024	1,342	1,093	259	29	382	501	428	47.3	34.7	25.2	26.6	35.9	38.1	41.8
50.0 to 74.9 percent accepted	2,774	4,591	753	812	487	494	26	1,134	2,249	282	328	141	146	7	40.9	49.0	37.5	40.4	29.0	29.6	26.9
25.0 to 49.9 percent accepted	2,033	1,099	81	1,043	6	33	76	627	342	45	227	3	14	40	30.8	31.1	55.6	21.8	50.0	42.4	52.6
Less than 25.0 percent accepted	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	†	†	†	†	†	†	100.0
Information not available	814	7,981	5	6	5	24	10	734	2,551	5	0	0	14	3	90.2	32.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	58.3	30.0
2-year institutions	380,151	473,589	380,393	364,754	353,161	332,804	315,169	152,559	197,222	168,682	164,014	157,965	147,611	127,363	40.1	41.6	44.3	45.0	44.7	44.4	40.4
Public institutions	369,937	464,126	376,183	360,329	350,307	330,531	313,022	147,345	192,220	166,619	161,849	156,570	146,427	126,250	39.8	41.4	44.3	44.9	44.7	44.3	40.3
Nonprofit institutions	1,757	760	760	863	546	641	454	973	401	339	340	210	227	177	55.4	52.8	44.6	39.4	38.5	35.4	39.0
For-profit institutions	8,457	8,703	3,450	3,562	2,308	1,632	1,693	4,241	4,601	1,724	1,825	1,185	957	936	50.1	52.9	50.0	51.2	51.3	58.6	55.3

†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 2021, Fall Enrollment component; and IPEDS Fall 2006 through Fall 2019, Institutional Characteristics component. (This table was prepared November 2021.)