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Highest first-year retention
2,737 colleges in the U.S. with this figure reported (500+ students).
2601Allen County Community College · KS · Public48%2602Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y Television · PR · Private (for-profit)48%2603Gordon State College · GA · Public48%2604Herzing University-Madison · WI · Private (nonprofit)48%2605Lamar Institute of Technology · TX · Public48%2606Nicolet Area Technical College · WI · Public48%2607Southern University at New Orleans · LA · Public48%2608UEI College-Mesa · AZ · Private (for-profit)48%2609Wayland Baptist University · TX · Private (nonprofit)48%2610Bay de Noc Community College · MI · Public47%2611Chicago State University · IL · Public47%2612Franklin University · OH · Private (nonprofit)47%2613Oklahoma Panhandle State University · OK · Public47%2614South Plains College · TX · Public47%2615Texas State Technical College · TX · Public47%2616York County Community College · ME · Public47%2617City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College · IL · Public46%2618Empire State University · NY · Public46%2619Southeast New Mexico College · NM · Public46%2620Clatsop Community College · OR · Public45%2621Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College · MN · Public45%2622Frank Phillips College · TX · Public45%2623Hocking College · OH · Public45%2624Kentucky Christian University · KY · Private (nonprofit)45%2625Lane College · TN · Private (nonprofit)45%2626Rasmussen University-Illinois · IL · Private (for-profit)45%2627Warner University · FL · Private (nonprofit)45%2628City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College · IL · Public44%2629Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs · CO · Private (for-profit)44%2630Jackson State Community College · TN · Public44%2631Ottawa University-Surprise · AZ · Private (nonprofit)44%2632Western Technical College · WI · Public44%2633Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College · NC · Public43%2634Clinton Community College · NY · Public43%2635Coastal Bend College · TX · Public43%2636Coastline Community College · CA · Public43%2637Community College of Vermont · VT · Public43%2638Midlands Technical College · SC · Public43%2639Nashville State Community College · TN · Public43%2640New Mexico Junior College · NM · Public43%
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.