Retention and Graduation Rates

Retention Rate

Threshold: 80%
Goal by 2028: 92%
Actual retention rate for the fall 2021 cohort: 86%

Threshold: 65% (increased from 60% January 2021)
Goal by 2028: 75%

Actual graduation rate for the fall 2016 cohort: 74%

Some students take longer than six years to complete, or decide to transfer out of Mercer to other institutions that they feel are a better fit for them and their academic goals. The following graph gives a more comprehensive picture of where fall 2016 students were on their path to earning a postsecondary degree at six years (as of August 31, 2022). See here for disaggregated graduation/completion data.

Status of First-time, Full-time Students Entering Fall 2016

^{Methodology: Students in the cohort are counted in one category only in the hierarchy shown in the graph. Enrollment and graduation from other postsecondary institutions was obtained from the National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker service and covers both 2- and 4-year institutions. The rates may differ from rates reported elsewhere under different reporting definitions.}