About Graduation Rates
Every year, colleges and universities like WGU are required to submit data about our institution and our students to the federal Department of Education. This information is then posted on the federal web site, College Navigator where you can search for colleges and compare information. WGU is also required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, to provide all students and prospective students with specific information about our institution, including the retention and graduate rates on this page.
At WGU, graduation is our goal. It’s the reason we exist: to help every student who enrolls achieve the degree that will turn dreams into realities; so we take graduation rates very seriously. You may have seen graduation rates reported for WGU, including a low rate on the College Scorecard. That’s because the College Scorecard uses Department of Education data that only counts first-time, full-time students.
In other words, the nontraditional students who make up more than 90% of WGU’s student body are not counted in the College Scorecard data. The vast majority of WGU students have previous college experience before coming to WGU. These students are not considered first-time students, so their success at WGU is not counted in the rate reported by the Department of Education through the College Scorecard.
To put it another way: The College Scorecard data excludes the very students WGU was designed to serve.
Graduate Career Success
While students come to WGU for widely different career reasons, when they graduate, they’re finding the opportunities they sought.
Advancement: According to a 2024 Harris Poll survey1 87% of WGU graduates reported they were employed in their degree field.
Employer Acceptance: When employers were asked how the WGU graduates they’d hired performed on the job, 94% said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations. 97% said that their WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs, and 81% said that would hire another WGU graduate2.
Graduate Satisfaction: A 2024 Harris Poll revealed that 96% of WGU graduates have recommended WGU to others, compared with 84% of those who attended other schools. 96% of WGU grads said they would choose WGU again, compared with 91% of grads from other schools3.
1 2024 Harris Poll survey of 1,655 WGU graduates.
2 2024 Harris Poll survey of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
3 2024 Harris Poll of 1,655 WGU graduates and 1,443 national, non-WGU graduates.
Graduation Rate
The graduation rate, also called the "Student Right to Know" or IPEDS graduation rate, measures the progress of full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students. It tracks whether they complete their program within 150% of the standard time expected for graduation.
Note that WGU has almost 10% of the student population that are first-time, full-time students. The majority (90%) of our students began their studies at another college or university. For this reporting timeframe, 1344 students were counted as “full-time, first-time.”
Race/Ethnicity
Cohort
Grad Number
Percent
American Indian or Alaskan Native
20
8
40.00%
Asian
78
38
48.72%
Black, non-Hispanic
147
58
39.46%
Hispanic/Latino
155
60
38.71%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
7
1
14.29%
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
214
133
62.15%
Nonresident Alien
4
3
75.00%
Two or More
25
10
40.00%
White, non-Hispanic
694
366
52.74%
Total
1,344
677
50.37%
Race/Ethnicity
Cohort
Race/Ethnicity
Grad Number
Race/Ethnicity
Percent
American Indian or Alaskan Native
20
American Indian or Alaskan Native
8
American Indian or Alaskan Native
40.00%
Asian
78
Asian
38
Asian
48.72%
Black, non-Hispanic
147
Black, non-Hispanic
58
Black, non-Hispanic
39.46%
Hispanic/Latino
155
Hispanic/Latino
60
Hispanic/Latino
38.71%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
7
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
14.29%
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
214
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
133
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
62.15%
Nonresident Alien
4
Nonresident Alien
3
Nonresident Alien
75.00%
Two or More
25
Two or More
10
Two or More
40.00%
White, non-Hispanic
694
White, non-Hispanic
366
White, non-Hispanic
52.74%
Total
1,344
Total
677
Total
50.37%
Race/Ethnicity
Cohort
Grad Number
Percent
American Indian or Alaskan Native
2,552
1,300
50.94%
Asian
4,610
2,539
55.08%
Black, non-Hispanic
12,864
5,149
40.03%
Hispanic/Latino
15,262
7,435
48.72%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
739
359
48.58%
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
12,485
7,037
56.36%
Nonresident Alien
116
60
51.72%
Two or More
2,530
1,231
48.66%
White, non-Hispanic
85,268
50,229
58.91%
Total
136,426
75,339
55.22%
Race/Ethnicity
Cohort
Race/Ethnicity
Grad Number
Race/Ethnicity
Percent
American Indian or Alaskan Native
2,552
American Indian or Alaskan Native
1,300
American Indian or Alaskan Native
50.94%
Asian
4,610
Asian
2,539
Asian
55.08%
Black, non-Hispanic
12,864
Black, non-Hispanic
5,149
Black, non-Hispanic
40.03%
Hispanic/Latino
15,262
Hispanic/Latino
7,435
Hispanic/Latino
48.72%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
739
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
359
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
48.58%
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
12,485
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
7,037
Race or Ethnicity Unknown
56.36%
Nonresident Alien
116
Nonresident Alien
60
Nonresident Alien
51.72%
Two or More
2,530
Two or More
1,231
Two or More
48.66%
White, non-Hispanic
85,268
White, non-Hispanic
50,229
White, non-Hispanic
58.91%
Total
136,426
Total
75,339
Total
55.22%
Status
Cohort
Number of Grads
Percent
Male
656
306
46.65%
Female
688
371
53.92%
Total
1344
677
50.37%
Status
Cohort
Status
Number of Grads
Status
Percent
Male
656
Male
306
Male
46.65%
Female
688
Female
371
Female
53.92%
Total
1344
Total
677
Total
50.37%
Status
Cohort
Number of Grads
Percent
Male
49,110
24,214
49.31%
Female
87,316
51,125
58.55%
Total
136,426
75,339
55.22%
Status
Cohort
Status
Number of Grads
Status
Percent
Male
49,110
Male
24,214
Male
49.31%
Female
87,316
Female
51,125
Female
58.55%
Total
136,426
Total
75,339
Total
55.22%
Status
Cohort
Number of Grads
Percent
Received a Federal Pell Grant
632
287
45.41%
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
117
60
51.28%
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
595
330
55.46%
Total
1344
677
50.37%
Status
Cohort
Status
Number of Grads
Status
Percent
Received a Federal Pell Grant
632
Received a Federal Pell Grant
287
Received a Federal Pell Grant
45.41%
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
117
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
60
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
51.28%
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
595
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
330
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
55.46%
Total
1344
Total
677
Total
50.37%
Status
Cohort
Number of Grads
Percent
Received a Federal Pell Grant
22,189
10,063
45.35%
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
7,892
4,041
51.20%
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
106,381
61,235
57.56%
Total
136,462
75,339
55.21%
Status
Cohort
Status
Number of Grads
Status
Percent
Received a Federal Pell Grant
22,189
Received a Federal Pell Grant
10,063
Received a Federal Pell Grant
45.35%
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
7,892
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
4,041
Received a Subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive Pell
51.20%
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
106,381
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
61,235
Received neither a Pell Grant nor a Subsidized Stafford Loan
57.56%
Total
136,462
Total
75,339
Total
55.21%
Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the percentage of first-time students who return to WGU to continue their studies the following year. Data come from the 24-25 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Entering year-to-second-year retention rate for first-time (full-time) students: 65%.
Continuing Education
In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, WGU makes available information regarding the types of graduate and professional education in which graduates of its four-year degree programs enroll.
Graduates of WGU bachelor's degree programs have continued their education in graduate and professional programs across a range of fields, including business and management, information technology, cybersecurity, nursing and health professions, and education.
These programs span the master's, doctoral, and post-baccalaureate certificate levels.
This information is based on enrollment data reported through the National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker for WGU bachelor's degree graduates between July 1, 1998 and July 1, 2026, queried on July 1, 2026. Data reflects graduate and professional enrollments identified through the Clearinghouse and may not capture all graduates who continued their education. WGU updates this information periodically as additional data becomes available.
WGU Baccalaureate to Graduate Program
WGU’s four-year degree program graduates who continued with WGU and earned a graduate degree.
Degree Earned
Total
Percent
Master's
48,330
49.85%
Post-Master's
59
0.06%
Post-Bacc
11
0.01%
Endorsement
73
0.08%
Total
48,473
100.00%
Degree Earned
Total
Degree Earned
Percent
Master's
48,330
Master's
49.85%
Post-Master's
59
Post-Master's
0.06%
Post-Bacc
11
Post-Bacc
0.01%
Endorsement
73
Endorsement
0.08%
Total
48,473
Total
100.00%
Updated 7/29/26
