High freshman retention is one of the best indicators not only of student satisfaction at a university, but also the likelihood that graduates will finish with lower debt than their peers who graduate from a different college than the one they originally enrolled in. Transferring between colleges and dropping out are among the greatest causes of increased student debt in the United States. Transfer students often take an extra year or two to complete their degree due to differences in curriculum and other factors. This significantly increases the cost of college.
So what can a person who can't read the future do to minimize the chance of transferring? Well, among other things like being sure of what you intend to major in and doing research to make sure a school is a good fit for you, a great way to hedge your bets is to attend a university or college with a high freshman retention rate.
Methodology
The list we've compiled below includes the national universities and liberal arts colleges with the highest freshman retention rates according to U.S. News and World Report. Because the value of your education is important, we rank these high retention rate schools according to their 30 year average net return on investment according to figures from payscale.com. Also included in the list, for purely informational purposes, is the overall ranking of each institution according to U.S. News and World Report. The purpose of including this statistic is to provide you with an understanding of where the school stands in terms of quality, in addition to the ROI and retention rate figures. Schools are sorted by 30 year average net ROI, with the highest-ROI school occupying the #1 spot.
ROI Rankings of U.S. Schools with the Highest Retention Rates
Featured Online Programs
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By choosing one of these colleges with high freshman retention rates that also boast a high return on investment, you can be assured to get the most bang for your buck out of your college education.
Publish Date: July 2020
