Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates

Test-Blind Colleges 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 232 colleges in the ranking. Search and filter the list.

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1University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California97.3%9%—$13k$83k93%33,4755 mi 2University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California96.8%11%—$13k$92k93%33,0682 mi 3California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, California95.5%31%—$17k$91k86%21,9969 mi 4University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington94.7%39%—$14k$78k85%31,9423 mi 5University of California-IrvineIrvine, California94.0%29%—$14k$81k87%30,1974 mi 6University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, California94.0%27%—$12k$85k86%34,9481 mi 7Pitzer CollegeClaremont, California93.8%25%—$34k$70k83%1,22734 mi 8Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, Massachusetts93.7%60%—$43k$103k90%5,44738 mi 9University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California93.0%33%—$16k$75k83%23,113< 1 mi 10University of California-DavisDavis, California92.8%42%—$15k$81k86%32,25327 mi 11University of San DiegoSan Diego, California91.4%52%—$30k$87k84%5,6713 mi 12San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California90.6%36%—$15k$65k76%35,3777 mi 13Massachusetts College of Art and DesignBoston, Massachusetts89.1%76%—$24k$44k69%1,8313 mi 14Lewis & Clark CollegePortland, Oregon88.8%78%—$36k$62k75%2,12055 mi 15Berklee College of MusicBoston, Massachusetts88.6%44%—$49k$34k67%7,4682 mi 16University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, California87.9%66%—$18k$68k75%17,9403 mi 17University of California-RiversideRiverside, California87.6%76%—$14k$68k76%22,59340 mi 18California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, California87.4%75%—$12k$72k68%25,04227 mi 19SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuse, New York87.0%63%—$19k$56k66%1,83935 mi 20University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezMayaguez, Puerto Rico87.0%57%—$18k$49k49%9,5391 mi 21San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, California86.8%85%—$14k$79k69%27,60112 mi 22California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, California86.8%46%—$10k$64k69%35,9243 mi 23Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, Massachusetts86.8%95%—$22k$82k74%1,395< 1 mi 24Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona86.6%90%—$15k$63k68%64,674166 mi 25The Catholic University of AmericaWashington, District of Columbia86.5%83%—$30k$73k79%3,1544 mi 26Ringling College of Art and DesignSarasota, Florida86.4%70%—$58k$43k72%1,6621 mi 27Art Center College of DesignPasadena, California85.9%75%—$49k$72k79%2,01721 mi 28Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, Colorado85.9%89%—$21k$61k67%25,538775 mi 29The University of TampaTampa, Florida85.5%40%—$36k$59k64%10,5721 mi 30Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga, California85.4%87%—$30k$79k70%1,9478 mi 31Alma CollegeAlma, Michigan85.0%57%—$21k$55k63%1,14844 mi 32The New SchoolNew York, New York84.8%63%—$59k$53k69%6,5631 mi 33Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, Ohio84.7%56%—$21k$56k59%1,51679 mi 34Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, Missouri84.7%95%—$22k$62k66%5,658264 mi 35The Master's University and SeminarySanta Clarita, California84.7%84%—$33k$57k68%1,62224 mi 36University of North DakotaGrand Forks, North Dakota84.0%77%—$19k$64k60%9,981245 mi 37Stonehill CollegeEaston, Massachusetts84.0%66%—$33k$78k76%2,52814 mi 38Assumption UniversityWorcester, Massachusetts83.9%83%—$29k$75k75%1,66940 mi 39Moody Bible InstituteChicago, Illinois83.9%83%—$22k$45k62%1,5101 mi 40School of the Art Institute of ChicagoChicago, Illinois83.8%77%—$50k$40k67%2,8051 mi 41Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, New Jersey83.8%71%—$20k$74k64%7,7094 mi 42Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, Wisconsin83.8%59%—$22k$89k67%2,6541 mi 43Stanbridge UniversityIrvine, California83.6%10%—$45k$62k62%2,6436 mi 44University of MaineOrono, Maine83.4%97%—$18k$49k55%8,49624 mi 45University of EvansvilleEvansville, Indiana83.3%78%—$18k$54k64%1,539253 mi 46Asbury UniversityWilmore, Kentucky83.3%63%—$21k$42k65%1,420263 mi 47Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, Connecticut83.1%65%—$46k$75k73%7,0874 mi 48San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, California82.7%96%—$12k$68k50%18,6392 mi 49Bradley UniversityPeoria, Illinois82.7%77%—$23k$67k76%3,574130 mi 50Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania82.6%80%—$28k$64k75%20,9702 mi 51California State University-StanislausTurlock, California82.5%98%—$6k$63k53%8,38546 mi 52California State University-FullertonFullerton, California82.4%91%—$7k$63k70%38,54616 mi 53Loras CollegeDubuque, Iowa82.3%100%—$21k$58k68%1,083145 mi 54College for Creative StudiesDetroit, Michigan82.2%92%—$35k$45k71%1,2304 mi 55University of California-MercedMerced, California82.1%91%—$12k$64k69%8,37271 mi 56Davenport UniversityGrand Rapids, Michigan82.0%98%—$18k$45k57%3,13435 mi 57California State University-SacramentoSacramento, California81.9%94%—$9k$65k56%28,35032 mi 58Shenandoah UniversityWinchester, Virginia81.7%77%—$30k$58k67%2,11661 mi 59California State University-ChicoChico, California81.6%93%—$14k$64k63%13,631103 mi 60California State University-FresnoFresno, California81.6%95%—$7k$61k57%21,605112 mi 61University of Puerto Rico-HumacaoHumacao, Puerto Rico81.3%55%—$13k$30k47%2,5294 mi 62Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, Pennsylvania81.2%81%—$25k$68k70%1,295120 mi 63Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, Michigan81.1%85%—$15k$54k58%12,56836 mi 64State University of New York at CortlandCortland, New York81.1%60%—$22k$60k68%5,90158 mi 65Westminster CollegeNew Wilmington, Pennsylvania81.0%93%—$20k$54k65%1,04160 mi 66Inter American University of Puerto Rico-AguadillaAguadilla, Puerto Rico80.6%42%—$9k$25k43%2,9063 mi 67Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia80.1%99%—$29k$45k65%50,012105 mi 68Loyola University New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana80.1%93%—$24k$53k59%2,8126 mi 69University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, Minnesota80.0%88%—$12k$58k50%1,729222 mi 70University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, Washington80.0%83%—$10k$78k63%4,1851 mi 71Trine UniversityAngola, Indiana79.9%85%—$25k$57k64%2,32480 mi 72California State University-Monterey BaySeaside, California79.9%97%—$14k$59k59%6,8192 mi 73Mercyhurst UniversityErie, Pennsylvania79.8%81%—$19k$47k60%2,1913 mi 74Linfield UniversityMcMinnville, Oregon79.7%85%—$27k$79k70%1,62137 mi 75University of North AlabamaFlorence, Alabama79.7%87%—$12k$45k55%5,811282 mi 76University of WyomingLaramie, Wyoming79.7%97%—$14k$57k59%7,944766 mi 77California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, California79.6%94%—$5k$60k55%15,02352 mi 78Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San GermanSan German, Puerto Rico79.5%42%—$9k$25k43%2,5698 mi 79University of New EnglandBiddeford, Maine79.4%92%—$38k$56k68%2,1351 mi 80Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, Massachusetts79.3%70%—$38k$76k70%3,91615 mi 81Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, California79.2%93%—$13k$66k58%5,16616 mi 82Universidad del Sagrado CorazonSanturce, Puerto Rico79.1%58%—$13k$32k52%4,442< 1 mi 83Winona State UniversityWinona, Minnesota79.0%75%—$18k$59k57%5,144180 mi 84Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, Florida78.9%41%—$25k$50k54%1,29824 mi 85Boise State UniversityBoise, Idaho78.8%87%—$22k$52k60%17,674385 mi 86California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, California78.8%94%—$6k$59k50%8,57770 mi 87Stevenson UniversityOwings Mills, Maryland78.8%79%—$27k$62k68%3,10214 mi 88Nevada State UniversityHenderson, Nevada78.8%87%—$14k$53k34%3,762234 mi 89Keene State CollegeKeene, New Hampshire78.7%90%—$18k$54k60%2,69972 mi 90California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, California78.6%95%—$10k$63k55%14,87710 mi 91Northwood UniversityMidland, Michigan78.6%65%—$27k$63k63%1,97418 mi 92The University of Montana-WesternDillon, Montana78.6%100%—$17k$43k51%1,198486 mi 93Lawrence Technological UniversitySouthfield, Michigan78.4%56%—$33k$69k61%1,66814 mi 94Washington State UniversityPullman, Washington78.3%87%—$15k$69k61%21,099247 mi 95Cornerstone UniversityGrand Rapids, Michigan78.3%78%—$20k$47k62%1,29832 mi 96Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, Michigan78.0%84%—$14k$47k52%6,5561 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.