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Highest first-year retention
2,737 colleges in the U.S. with this figure reported (500+ students).
1961Spoon River College · IL · Public64%1962Temple College · TX · Public64%1963Tennessee Wesleyan University · TN · Private (nonprofit)64%1964Texas Southmost College · TX · Public64%1965The University of Tennessee Southern · TN · Public64%1966Thomas University · GA · Private (nonprofit)64%1967Tohono O'odham Community College · AZ · Public64%1968Tri-County Community College · NC · Public64%1969University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton · AR · Public64%1970University of Jamestown · ND · Private (nonprofit)64%1971University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth · MA · Public64%1972University of Rio Grande · OH · Private (nonprofit)64%1973University of Saint Mary · KS · Private (nonprofit)64%1974University of South Carolina Aiken · SC · Public64%1975Western Iowa Tech Community College · IA · Public64%1976Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology · KS · Public64%1977Wiregrass Georgia Technical College · GA · Public64%1978York Technical College · SC · Public64%1979Aims Community College · CO · Public63%1980Albright College · PA · Private (nonprofit)63%1981Ana G. Mendez University · FL · Private (nonprofit)63%1982Apex Technical School · NY · Private (nonprofit)63%1983Arkansas State University-Beebe · AR · Public63%1984Bethany College · WV · Private (nonprofit)63%1985Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · OH · Public63%1986Coker University · SC · Private (nonprofit)63%1987College of Western Idaho · ID · Public63%1988Columbus State Community College · OH · Public63%1989Community College of Aurora · CO · Public63%1990Concordia University-Chicago · IL · Private (nonprofit)63%1991Concordia University Texas · TX · Private (nonprofit)63%1992Eastern Iowa Community College District · IA · Public63%1993East Texas A&M University · TX · Public63%1994Edison State Community College · OH · Public63%1995Erskine College · SC · Private (nonprofit)63%1996Eureka College · IL · Private (nonprofit)63%1997Fletcher Technical Community College · LA · Public63%1998Fort Lewis College · CO · Public63%1999Glen Oaks Community College · MI · Public63%2000Glenville State University · WV · Public63%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS (latest survey year). Sorted only by highest first-year retention — this is not an overall quality ranking. Open-admission colleges do not report an admit rate and are not listed here.