Retention signifies an institution’s ability to retain students from year to year, encompassing an active partnership between curricular, co-curricular, and non-curricular units to maintain the student body's interest in quality programs, services, and campus environment. The University uses the first-year, fall-to-fall retention rate of full-time students to measure student achievement.
The Retention Rates table below compares the University and their selected peer institutions for academic years 2018 to 2023. In 2023, NSU’s retention rate, increased 5% from the University’s 2021 rate. The institution set a target/threshold to achieve a 78% retention rate by the academic year 2026-27. The University implemented several initiatives to meet the target set for retention rates in the University's Strategic Plan. The University developed a comprehensive university-wide retention plan and established a Student Success System to provide an array of centralized student support services.
Retention Rates
| |
NSU Retention Rates |
Peer Institutions Retention Average Rates |
| 2024 |
72.6% |
N/A |
| 2023 |
72% |
N/A |
| 2022 |
72% |
70% |
| 2021 |
68% |
70% |
| 2020 |
65% |
73% |
| 2019 |
74% |
72% |
| 2018 |
70% |
71% |
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)/NSU Institutional Research Factbook