Indicator 4.1Freshman graduation rates, UC and comparison institutions and UC campuses, Cohorts entering fall 1995 to 2006
UC freshman graduation rates have improved substantially since 1995. They are better than the average graduation rates of students at AAU public institutions and approach those at AAU private institutions at some campuses.
Overall, four-year graduation rates increased from 41 percent for the 1995 cohort to 60 percent for the 2006 cohort, while six-year graduation rates increased from 77 percent to 83 percent during this same time period.
The steady improvement in graduation rates could be due to many factors, including campus programs to encourage 4-year completion, the academic preparation of students, the University's selectivity in admissions, the rising total costs of a UC education and the economic pressures that compel students to complete their educations and enter the workforce. Evidence reported in the introduction to this report emphasizes the significant role of student academic preparation and/or University selectivity in admissions.
Notes: 1. Data Source: IPEDS data (updated up to 2008/entering cohort 2002). 2. Data shows the 4-, 5- and 6-year graduation rates of the entering cohorts from 1996 to 2002. 3. Weighted-averaged graduation rates are shown for universitywide, other AAU public and AAU private. 4. For entering cohort 1996, Vanderbilt University was excluded from calculating the aggregated graduation rates of other AAU public due to missing information on its 4- and 5-yr graduation rates. 5. For entering cohort 2002, University of Iowa was excluded from calculating the aggregated graduation rates of other AAU public due to missing information on its 4-, 5- and 6-yr graduation rates.