Student Persistence Rate Inches Toward Pre-Pandemic Level

Three out of four students who started college in fall 2020 — the first fall semester of the COVID-19 pandemic — returned for a second year, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. That overall student persistence rate of 75% represents a one-year increase of 1.1 percentage points, but is still slightly below the pre-pandemic level of 75.9%. Persistence is defined as students returning to college at any institution in their second year (as opposed to retention, which represents students who return to the same institution).

The NSCRC attributes the persistence gain to an increase in students transferring out of their starting institution to other schools (up 0.9 percentage points), rather than those remaining at the same institution (up just 0.2 percentage points). "This is a reversal of last year's trend, where the decline in the transfer-out rate had caused the first-year persistence rate to drop," the organization explained, adding that the persistence gain was led by community colleges and private for-profit four-year institutions. Other four-year institutions saw small drops in both persistence and retention over the last year.

Among bachelor's degree seekers, the major with the highest persistence rate was engineering (91%), followed by biological and biomedical sciences (89%), liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities (88%), health professions and related clinical sciences (86%) and business, management, marketing and related support (84%).

At the associate degree level, persistence for liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities came out on top (64%), followed by computer and information sciences and support services (62%), health professions and related clinical sciences (60%), business, management, marketing and related support (57%) and security and protective services (55%).

While the overall persistence rate improved, the number of first-time students pursuing higher education saw a sharp decline: -9.9%, or 255,000 fewer students compared with fall 2019. Community colleges made up 58% of the decline in first-time students, the NSCRC noted.

The full report is available on the NSCRC site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Two autonomous AI figures performing tasks in a tech environment; one interacts with floating holographic screens, while the other manipulates digital components

    Agentic AI Named Top Tech Trend for 2025

    Agentic AI will be the top tech trend for 2025, according to research firm Gartner. The term describes autonomous machine "agents" that move beyond query-and-response generative chatbots to do enterprise-related tasks without human guidance.

  • sleek fishing hook with a translucent email icon hanging from it

    Report Identifies Rise in Phishing-as-a-Service Attacks

    Cybersecurity researchers at Trustwave are warning about a surge in malicious e-mail campaigns leveraging Rockstar 2FA, a phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) toolkit designed to steal Microsoft 365 credentials.

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • abstract technology icons connected by lines and dots

    Digital Layers and Human Ties: Navigating the CIO's Dilemma in Higher Education

    As technology permeates every aspect of life on campus, efficiency and convenience may come at the cost of human connection and professional identity.