Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University's four-year graduation rate has reached a record 50.9% for the 2022 cohort — only the second time in university history that the rate has climbed above the 50% mark. This is roughly double the rate in 2002.
The figure also outpaces the national four-year graduation rate of 34%, according to federal benchmarking data.
The milestone comes as Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State also welcomed 7,633 new students systemwide this fall, including 5,012 new first-year students, 1,224 transfer students and 1,397 new graduate students.
"This milestone is a direct reflection of the hard work and determination our students are showing from the moment they arrive at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State," said Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State President Todd Diacon. "Their success is aided by our outstanding faculty, staff and student support programs focused on helping our students reach their goal of earning a degree and entering the workforce or graduate school ready to succeed."
The university's longer-term graduation rates remain strong and consistent with national norms. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State's five-year rate for the 2021 cohort rose to 61.8%, up 1.6 percentage points from the previous year.
The six-year rate, which is the most commonly used national benchmark for graduation outcomes, stands at an impressive 63.1% for the 2020 cohort, a group that began its studies just as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted campus life nationwide.
