Outcomes
These colleges keep the largest share of first-time students returning for a second year. 354 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by Arizona State University Digital Immersion (Arizona).
Across all 354 qualifying colleges the retention runs from 43.9% (Warner University) to 100.0% (Arizona State University Digital Immersion), with a median of 87.1%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 87.1%.
| # | College | State | Retention | Graduation rate | Acceptance rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | 100.0% | 0.0% | 66.7% | — |
| 2 | Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses | IN | 100.0% | 0.0% | 39.9% | $15,788 |
| 3 | University of Chicago | IL | 99.3% | 95.9% | 4.5% | $14,860 |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | 99.1% | 96.4% | 4.5% | $20,111 |
| 5 | University of Notre Dame | IN | 99.1% | 95.2% | 11.3% | $26,780 |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | 98.9% | 96.5% | 5.4% | $28,699 |
| 7 | Brown University | RI | 98.8% | 95.7% | 5.4% | $25,184 |
| 8 | Yale University | CT | 98.8% | 95.7% | 3.9% | $23,777 |
| 9 | United States Coast Guard Academy | CT | 98.6% | 92.7% | 22.4% | — |
| 10 | Cornell University | NY | 98.4% | 95.4% | 8.8% | $28,690 |
| 11 | Dartmouth College | NH | 98.4% | 95.5% | 5.4% | $29,519 |
| 12 | Princeton University | NJ | 98.4% | 97.6% | 4.6% | $6,128 |
| 13 | Harvard University | MA | 98.3% | 97.6% | 3.6% | $19,066 |
| 14 | Stanford University | CA | 98.2% | 91.9% | 3.6% | $13,807 |
| 15 | Claremont McKenna College | CA | 98.1% | 91.4% | 9.6% | $28,849 |
| 16 | Georgia Institute of Technology | GA | 98.1% | 94.0% | 14.1% | $12,116 |
| 17 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | 98.1% | 93.8% | 6.4% | $18,809 |
| 18 | Northwestern University | IL | 98.1% | 95.1% | 7.7% | $29,167 |
| 19 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | 98.0% | 94.1% | 11.7% | $31,944 |
| 20 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | 98.0% | 96.1% | 4.0% | $21,590 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.
Of the 354 qualifying colleges, 172 are public and 182 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Indiana appears 2 times, Illinois appears 2 times, Massachusetts appears 2 times. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 95.3%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. The median acceptance rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 5.9%, against 44.6% for the whole dataset. 18 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1540.
Retention measures how many first-time, full-time bachelor's students come back the following fall. It is an early sign of whether students are staying and settling in.
Each column in the table means the following.
Retention is measured on one cohort, and a student who transfers to another college counts as not retained.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1540 SAT or a 34 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
Arizona State University Digital Immersion is first on this list, with retention of 100.0%. It leads 354 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
354 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.
No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.
Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2021 bachelor's-seeking cohort; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
FunSAT is a free browser-based SAT and ACT prep app: digital SAT and ACT practice tests, unofficial score calculators, a built-in graphing calculator, college admissions chances from official U.S. Department of Education data, and a scholarship search. Start free practice →