Freshman Retention Rate National Universities

As many as one in three first year students doesn't make it back for sophomore year. The reasons run the gamut, from family problems and loneliness to academic struggles and a lack of money. If schools you're considering have a low freshman retention rate, you'll want to ask the admissions office why. Some colleges do a great job of taking care of their freshman; some don't. The retention rates shown below, from highest to lowest, are the average proportion of freshmen entering starting in fall 2007 through fall 2010 who returned to school the following fall.

Save School Average freshman retention rate
University of New Orleans

New Orleans, LA

67%
University of Toledo

Toledo, OH

67%
Texas A&M University–​Commerce

Commerce, TX

66%
University of South Alabama

Mobile, AL

66%
Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA

65%
Lamar University

Beaumont, TX

65%
South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC

65%
Barry University

Miami Shores, FL

64%
Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH

64%
Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN

64%
Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN

63%
Texas Southern University

Houston, TX

62%
University of Arkansas–​Little Rock 1

Little Rock, AR

62%
Texas A&M University–​Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX

61%
Lynn University

Boca Raton, FL

60%
Idaho State University 1

Pocatello, ID

59%
Texas A&M University–​Kingsville

Kingsville, TX

59%
University of Texas–​San Antonio

San Antonio, TX

59%
Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX

58%
National-​Louis University

Chicago, IL

41%

<1 .. 9 10 11

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