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Higher Graduation Rates   Learning Outcomes   Preparation for Life

Students at independent colleges and universities are more likely to graduate than students at public institutions.

Fact 1 - Graduate Degrees
Independent college alumni are just as likely as public university alumni to earn graduate degrees (31% vs. 29%).

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Fact 2 - Likelihood of Graduating in Four Years
Independent colleges are much more effective than public universities at enabling students to finish their degrees in four years (72 percent vs. 52 percent).

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Fact 3 - Students of Color Graduation Rates
Students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds complete their degrees more quickly at independent colleges and universities than at public colleges and universities. For example, African-American students have a 64 percent four-year graduation rate at independent colleges, but only a 36 percent rate at public four-year colleges.

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Fact 4 - Graduation Rates of "At-Risk" Students
Students who have characteristics often associated with being considered “at risk” are far more likely to graduate from a private college than a state institution within six years. For example, 42 percent of independent college students who worked full-time while attending school graduated, compared with only 30 percent of public college students.

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Fact 5 - Higher Graduation Rates for Students of Comparable High School Achievement
Students at private colleges and universities are as likely to earn their degrees in four years as students of comparable high school achievement are in six years at public institutions. This is true for students with excellent grades as well as for those with average grades. For example, the four-year graduation rate (69 percent) of students at private institutions who earned mostly A’s in high school is nearly identical to the six-year graduation rate (71 percent) of similar students at public institutions.

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Fact 6 - Graduation Rates by Family Income
Across all family income levels, six-year graduation rates at independent institutions are higher than public institutions. For example, 54 percent of degree-seeking students from families with annual incomes under $25,000 attending independent colleges and universities graduate in six years or less, compared to 44 percent of similar students attending public institutions.

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Fact 7 - New Jersey Data
Independent colleges and universities in New Jersey (members of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey) enrolled 16.7 percent of the state’s students in the 2004-05 academic year, yet awarded 23 percent of all degrees. They conferred 25 percent of the state’s baccalaureate degrees in 2004-05 and 39 percent of all advanced degrees.

Source: Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey, The Report of the Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey to the Governor and State Legislature, 2006

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Related Materials

These materials reference the themes and topics addressed in the above facts and data, serving as a helpful resource on how presidents and others are making the case for independent higher education.

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