Freshman Retention Rate Regional Universities (West)

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.

These rankings are split into 4 regions: North, South, Midwest, and West.

Save School Average freshman retention rate
Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA

93%
Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA

92%
California Polytechnic State University–​San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA

91%
Trinity University

San Antonio, TX

90%
Chapman University

Orange, CA

89%
Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA

89%
Seattle University

Seattle, WA

88%
University of Portland

Portland, OR

88%
California State Polytechnic University–​Pomona

Pomona, CA

87%
California State University–​Long Beach

Long Beach, CA

87%
Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, WA

86%
California State University–​Stanislaus

Turlock, CA

85%
St. Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA

85%
University of Redlands

Redlands, CA

85%
Whitworth University

Spokane, WA

85%
California State University–​Chico

Chico, CA

84%
California State University–​Fresno

Fresno, CA

84%
California State University–​San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA

84%
Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA

84%
Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, WA

83%
Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, CA

83%
Regis University

Denver, CO

83%
San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

83%
St. Edward's University

Austin, TX

83%
California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA

82%

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