Public Universities with the Highest Retention Rates

Public Universities with the Highest Retention Rates, ranked by first-year retention rate. Retention measures returning students, not satisfaction. Four-year colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online-only schools are excluded. This page lists all 517 colleges in the ranking. Search and filter the list.

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1United States Coast Guard AcademyNew London, Connecticut98.6%22%1339——93%1,1082 mi 2Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, Georgia98.1%14%1480$12k$103k94%18,785222 mi 3University of FloridaGainesville, Florida97.7%24%1403$7k$72k91%35,62942 mi 4University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, Virginia97.5%17%1480$22k$87k96%17,59767 mi 5University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan97.5%16%1465$13k$84k93%34,17730 mi 6United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, Maryland97.3%9%1307——93%4,474< 1 mi 7University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California97.3%9%—$13k$83k93%33,4755 mi 8University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California96.8%11%—$13k$92k93%33,0682 mi 9The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas96.7%27%1395$20k$75k89%42,855126 mi 10University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina96.6%15%1439$12k$72k91%20,752115 mi 11United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, Colorado96.5%14%1350——88%4,114711 mi 12University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland96.2%45%1473$16k$83k89%30,7609 mi 13University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin96.2%45%1427$17k$74k90%36,90276 mi 14Florida State UniversityTallahassee, Florida96.0%24%1361$11k$62k86%32,21224 mi 15California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, California95.5%31%—$17k$91k86%21,9969 mi 16University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, Illinois94.8%42%1440$14k$81k85%36,258115 mi 17Auburn UniversityAuburn, Alabama94.8%46%1345$24k$65k82%26,816151 mi 18University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington94.7%39%—$14k$78k85%31,9423 mi 19United States Military AcademyWest Point, New York94.6%12%1355——87%4,4085 mi 20William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia94.6%34%1473$19k$73k89%7,0553 mi 21North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina94.5%42%1376$17k$69k85%27,37193 mi 22Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas94.3%57%1280$21k$72k84%59,61597 mi 23Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, Ohio94.2%61%1387$17k$60k88%45,63899 mi 24University of California-IrvineIrvine, California94.0%29%—$14k$81k87%30,1974 mi 25University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia94.0%38%1397$14k$69k90%32,137175 mi 26University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, California94.0%27%—$12k$85k86%34,9481 mi 27Clemson UniversityClemson, South Carolina93.5%38%1353$22k$72k87%23,300187 mi 28Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia93.1%55%1364$25k$82k86%30,923173 mi 29Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey93.0%58%1410$24k$74k84%37,7519 mi 30University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California93.0%33%—$16k$75k83%23,113< 1 mi 31University of California-DavisDavis, California92.8%42%—$15k$81k86%32,25327 mi 32Colorado School of MinesGolden, Colorado92.8%61%1412$29k$97k82%6,155737 mi 33Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, Indiana92.7%50%1364$15k$72k83%44,50385 mi 34University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, Missouri92.7%78%1247$20k$63k75%23,929318 mi 35Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, Pennsylvania92.6%61%1337$33k$63k86%42,284124 mi 36University of ConnecticutStorrs, Connecticut92.5%52%1348$25k$74k83%19,83531 mi 37University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida92.3%40%1269$10k$58k78%59,14623 mi 38University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, South Carolina92.2%60%1297$23k$62k79%29,820101 mi 39University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, Pennsylvania92.0%58%1370$30k$66k86%20,370110 mi 40James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia92.0%72%1256$23k$70k80%20,88882 mi 41University of DelawareNewark, Delaware92.0%71%1292$18k$73k81%19,0718 mi 42University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts91.9%60%1423$22k$72k83%23,67170 mi 43The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, Tennessee91.9%42%1311$19k$60k74%30,418294 mi 44Florida International UniversityMiami, Florida91.8%55%1163$9k$60k74%39,5088 mi 45The College of New JerseyEwing, New Jersey91.3%62%1246$28k$73k86%7,10522 mi 46University of South FloridaTampa, Florida91.3%43%1227$10k$58k77%37,2079 mi 47University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, Minnesota91.1%80%1362$17k$69k85%31,855134 mi 48Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana91.1%78%1313$16k$64k80%37,806174 mi 49San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California90.6%36%—$15k$65k76%35,3777 mi 50University of IowaIowa City, Iowa90.4%84%1200$23k$65k75%22,264195 mi 51University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado90.1%78%1357$25k$70k74%31,939750 mi 52Miami University-OxfordOxford, Ohio90.1%75%1317$28k$55k80%16,656161 mi 53Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan90.0%85%1269$20k$67k81%40,92271 mi 54University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, Oklahoma90.0%77%1246$15k$63k75%22,734402 mi 55The University of Texas at DallasRichardson, Texas90.0%65%1286$18k$68k76%21,751245 mi 56Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, New York89.8%49%1419$19k$75k76%18,1012 mi 57New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, New Jersey89.5%65%1337$17k$84k73%9,0194 mi 58The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama89.5%77%1285$22k$59k73%33,227173 mi 59Binghamton UniversityVestal, New York89.4%39%1415$22k$81k82%14,65594 mi 60University of VermontBurlington, Vermont89.2%65%1374$19k$62k79%11,74366 mi 61Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityTallahassee, Florida89.2%21%1107$14k$44k53%7,58223 mi 62Massachusetts College of Art and DesignBoston, Massachusetts89.1%76%—$24k$44k69%1,8313 mi 63Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, Michigan88.8%92%1258$14k$78k68%5,9551 mi 64University of West FloridaPensacola, Florida88.8%58%1138$9k$49k59%9,3302 mi 65CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, New York88.6%48%1280$3k$76k72%16,1541 mi 66University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina88.2%64%1287$20k$55k71%14,9223 mi 67University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, California87.9%66%—$18k$68k75%17,9403 mi 68Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, Oregon87.8%77%1290$20k$64k70%30,74336 mi 69University of California-RiversideRiverside, California87.6%76%—$14k$68k76%22,59340 mi 70Iowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa87.6%89%1204$19k$63k75%25,367299 mi 71California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, California87.4%75%—$12k$72k68%25,04227 mi 72University of New Hampshire-Main CampusDurham, New Hampshire87.3%88%1218$24k$66k76%11,26110 mi 73University of MississippiUniversity, Mississippi87.2%97%1184$13k$51k72%21,473266 mi 74SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuse, New York87.0%63%—$19k$56k66%1,83935 mi 75University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezMayaguez, Puerto Rico87.0%57%—$18k$49k49%9,5391 mi 76University of HoustonHouston, Texas87.0%74%1250$14k$62k65%38,38017 mi 77SUNY College at GeneseoGeneseo, New York87.0%66%1286$18k$67k71%3,86934 mi 78San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, California86.8%85%—$14k$79k69%27,60112 mi 79University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky86.8%93%1215$19k$59k71%24,763249 mi 80California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, California86.8%46%—$10k$64k69%35,9243 mi 81Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, Massachusetts86.8%95%—$22k$82k74%1,395< 1 mi 82Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona86.6%90%—$15k$63k68%64,674166 mi 83Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, Missouri86.6%73%1317$16k$83k64%5,521344 mi 84University of Wisconsin-La CrosseLa Crosse, Wisconsin86.5%76%1220$16k$60k71%9,277167 mi 85University of KansasLawrence, Kansas86.5%93%1190$18k$62k69%21,217448 mi 86University of OregonEugene, Oregon86.4%88%1272$22k$61k72%20,49752 mi 87University of ArkansasFayetteville, Arkansas86.4%74%1169$18k$58k71%28,677421 mi 88University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah86.2%86%1257$16k$67k65%27,264547 mi 89George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia86.0%87%1274$18k$76k68%27,75212 mi 90University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, Nebraska86.0%87%1191$18k$57k67%19,178469 mi 91Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, Colorado85.9%89%—$21k$61k67%25,538775 mi 92University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, Washington85.8%91%—$12k$78k65%5,4579 mi 93Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina85.8%23%1208$21k$72k75%2,705< 1 mi 94St. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's City, Maryland85.8%69%1261$18k$60k70%1,603< 1 mi 95Kansas State UniversityManhattan, Kansas85.6%82%1151$19k$57k71%15,142505 mi 96University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio85.4%85%1282$26k$55k75%29,882178 mi

US Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS. Missing or suppressed values are excluded. A ranking is a comparison of the named measure, not an overall quality score.