Core Metric: Graduation Rates

At UNT, we believe the diploma isn’t the destination for our students — it’s a critical milestone on a longer journey of lifelong learning and career development. Bachelor’s degree holders earn significantly more over their lifetimes and gain access to opportunities that drive economic and social mobility. For more than 40% of UNT undergraduate students who are first-generation college students and nearly half who come from low-income families, timely graduation is especially consequential — reducing costs, minimizing debt, and accelerating their entry into meaningful, successful careers. 

Timely completion matters profoundly for how quickly students will realize the economic value of their degrees. Tracking four- and six-year graduation rates also provides faculty, staff, and administrators with essential metrics for reviewing academic programs and improving student success. By identifying trends and understanding where students face obstacles, we can implement changes that lead to better results, fulfilling our commitment to ensure every qualified student who commits to learn with us has the support needed to reach this important milestone and launch into a good job, a successful career, and a life of meaning and purpose.

Our Goal
Improve UNT’s 4-year graduation rate from 42% to 65% and 6-year graduation rate from 61% to 80%.

 

This dashboard highlights four- and six-year graduation rates for full-time, first-time-in-college (FTIC) and transfer students across all colleges, allowing comparisons between UNT overall and specific academic units. Longer times to graduation are often the result of students changing majors, enrolling part time so they can work or fulfill family obligations, struggling in their coursework, or stopping out of school for personal reasons.

UNT currently graduates 42% of all students within four years and 61% within six years. While these rates are comparable to data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that shows Texas averages of 40-45% of students graduating within four years, there is significant room for improvement. When timely graduation means the difference between economic mobility and significant financial burdens, simply matching state averages is insufficient.

Graduation rates vary significantly across UNT's colleges, reflecting differences in program requirements and students’ preparation. Transfer students often demonstrate different completion patterns than FTIC students, with many bringing substantial credits that can accelerate their time to graduation. Our ambitious goals of achieving a 65% four-year graduation rate and 80% six-year graduation rate reflect our commitment to dramatically improve outcomes for all UNT students.

Timely degree completion delivers substantial economic benefits for students and their families. Median lifetime earnings are $1.2 million higher for bachelor’s degree holders compared to those with only a high school diploma, according to the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities. Graduating in four years instead of six boosts a graduate’s time to value, enables earlier entry to the workforce, and reduces potential debt.

UNT will track four- and six-year graduation rates across all colleges and programs, along with targeted supports to help students stay on track for a timely graduation and career launch. UNT is implementing the following key strategies:

Graduation rates track the number and percentage of first-time, full-time entering degree-seeking students who enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester credit hours (SCH) their first fall semester at a Texas public institution and graduated from the same institution or another Texas public or private (independent) institution within four and six years.