LESSFOR MORE
:

LOW RATES OF COMPLETION AND HIGH COSTS
AT CONNECTICUT’S FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES

NICKI GOLOS, AMY DOWELL, KATLYN RIGGINS, & MICHAEL DANNENBERG

 LESS FOR MORE:
LOW RATES OF COMPLETION AND HIGH COSTS
AT CONNECTICUT’S FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES

November 2019

Education Reform Now CT supports elected leaders who are
champions of public education, providing policy expertise and
advocacy. Together, we advance ideas and practices based on
democratic values--with the goals of increasing equity,
protecting civil rights and the social safety net, and promoting
great educational opportunities for all.

 Executive Summary
When families invest time and resources in pursuing higher education, they deserve
to know their investments are likely to result in meaningful credentials and lead to
fruitful careers. To make the promise of a quality college education a reality for all,
Connecticut’s system of higher education should create wide and equitable
opportunities for students while preparing our broad workforce to meet changing
business demands.
Unfortunately, in comparing six-year graduation rates and net prices among
Connecticut bachelor degree granting colleges, between each of those four-year
colleges and respective national peers, and looking at them individually across years,
we have found a number of troubling trends in the state’s higher education system.
This report examines 22 of Connecticut’s 27 four-year bachelor degree granting
programs. (Excluded are schools for which we cannot find national comparison
institutions or data.1) In particular, this report identifies three key concerns about
how well the state’s four-year colleges are serving students and preparing them to
succeed in Connecticut’s workforce:
•

Too many Connecticut four-year colleges have low rates of completion,
either for their general populations or for underrepresented minority
subgroups.
• Of the 22 Connecticut four-year colleges for which we have comparative
data, three consistently graduate less than 50 percent of their entire student
bodies within six years of initial enrollment.
• Seven consistently graduate less than 50% of their underrepresented
minority populations in six years.

•

Almost half of Connecticut’s four-year colleges charge an exceptionally high
net price to students from the lowest income families.
• In 2016, 12 Connecticut four-year colleges charged more than double the net
price that a national peer institution charged to comparable low-income
students.

•

Most concerning is the set of Connecticut colleges that combine low
graduation rates and high net prices for low-income students relative to
peer institutions nationally.
• We call these four schools “double offenders.”

As a state, it’s time for Connecticut to dig into trends like these and begin to identify
causes and solutions. Good policymaking starts with understanding the problem
and keeping in mind the responsibility that our society—taxpayers and schools
alike—has to the next generation of young people.

The five Connecticut bachelor degree granting programs that we could not include because they lack
comparison data to national peers are: Charter Oak College, Goodwin College, Paier College of Art, Post
University, and University of Connecticut - Waterbury Campus.
1

 Key Findings
On Graduation Rates:
Connecticut four-year colleges that consistently graduate less than 50% of their firsttime, full-time student populations within six years of initial enrollment:
• Mitchell College
• University of Bridgeport
• Western Connecticut State University
Connecticut four-year colleges that consistently graduate less than 50% of their firsttime, full-time underrepresented minority populations within six years of initial
enrollment:
• Central Connecticut State University*
• Eastern Connecticut State University
• Mitchell College
• Southern Connecticut State University
• University of Bridgeport
• University of Hartford
• Western Connecticut State University
* Notably, Central Connecticut State University’s 6-year graduation rate—both generally and for underrepresented
minority subgroups—is consistent with (or even high relative to) national peers. This suggests the possibility that its
low completion rates may be related to factors other than institution shortcomings.

On Net Price for Low-Income Students:
Connecticut four-year colleges that have average net prices for low-income students
that are significantly higher than most of their peer institutions serving similar
students:
• Albertus Magnus College
• Trinity College
• Central Connecticut State
• University of Bridgeport
University
• University of Connecticut
• Connecticut College
• University of Hartford
• Quinnipiac University
• Western Connecticut State
• Sacred Heart University
University
• Southern Connecticut State
• Yale University
University
On Double Offenders:
Connecticut’s four-year colleges that have low rates of graduation and charge an
exceptionally high net price relative to respective national peer institutions:
• Southern Connecticut State University
• University of Bridgeport
• University of Hartford
• Western Connecticut State University

 Introduction
This report uses data submitted by colleges to the U.S. Department of Education’s
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Results
Online (CRO), which identifies schools that have similar characteristics and serve
similar student bodies. Using CRO allows us to make apples-to-apples comparisons
regarding the graduation rates and costs of Connecticut schools relative to
respective peer institutions of higher education.2
The data raise three important concerns about how well the state’s four-year
colleges are serving their students:
•

Too many Connecticut four-year colleges have low rates of completion,
either for their general populations or for underrepresented minority
subgroups.

•

Too many Connecticut four-year colleges charge an exceptionally high net
price to students from families in the lowest income quintile.

•

Most concerning is the set of Connecticut colleges that combine low
graduation rates and high net prices for low-income students relative to peer
institutions nationally.

The following pages compare six-year graduation rates and out-of-pocket costs to
families (i.e. net price after all grant aid is conferred) among Connecticut colleges,
across years, and between Connecticut colleges and their respective national peer
institutions.

Completion Rates in CT’s Four-Year Programs
Six-Year Completion

6-Year Graduation Rate

Connecticut has three
College Name
2015
2016
2017
four-year colleges that
regularly graduate less
Mitchell College
39.6%
45.1%
40.8%
than half of their firstUniversity of Bridgeport
32.9%
28.8%
41.6%
time, full-time student
Western Connecticut State University
49.3% 45.7%
44.3%
populations within six
Source: College Results Online (2015, 2016, and 2017). Graduation rates over time for
years of initial enrollment.
Mitchell College, University of Bridgeport, and Western Connecticut State University.
Retrieved August 2019 at http://www.collegeresults.org/search_group.aspx.
These are Mitchell
College, University of Bridgeport, and Western Connecticut State University. The low
completion rates at these colleges suggests that the majority of students who enter
spend time and incur debt without gaining a credential or degree that will have
made their investment worthwhile. Debt without degree is one of the worst higher
education outcomes a student confronts.

Five of Connecticut’s four-year bachelor degree granting programs are excluded because they are so unique
that they each lack a cohort. These are: Charter Oak College, Goodwin College, Paier College of Art, Post
University, and University of Connecticut - Waterbury Campus.
2

1

 How do we explain these lackluster completion rates?
Too often, poor outcomes are justified as being wholly a product of student
circumstances beyond an institution’s control — be they academic preparation
levels, family environment, income, or race. We disagree and believe the data back
us up.
In the tables below, the colleges in question have been grouped into cohorts of
comparable four-year colleges nationally. This allows policymakers and others to see
how these particular colleges perform when compared to other colleges with similar
admissions standards, serving similar student populations. It also allows them to
make an "apples to apples" comparison and see that (as in K-12 education) what
colleges do makes a difference. (One might expect that most Yale students graduate
within six years; and, indeed, Yale boasts a graduation rate in the 90 plus percent
range, even for its underrepresented minority populations. But not every student is a
Yale student, and thus comparisons with Yale’s performance are not always
meaningful.)
2016
6-Yr
Grad
Rate

University of
Bridgeport and Peer
Programs

2016
6-Yr
Grad
Rate

Western Connecticut
State University and
Peer Programs

2016
6-Yr
Grad
Rate

University of Saint
Joseph

63.3%

Saint Peter's University

53.8%

Westfield State
University

66.3%

Wheelock College

61.3%

Concordia CollegeNew York

53.6%

Keene State College

62.8%

Clarke University

60.8%

Southwestern
Adventist University

46.8%

Converse College

55.4%

Greensboro College

44.3%

North Park University

53.3%

American International
College

43.9%

San Diego Christian
College

52.1%

Mount Mary University

43.4%

Bluffton University

49.3%

Dominican College of
Blauvelt

42.5%

Tabor College

48.4
%

Alverno College

42.0%

North Central University

48.1%

William Peace
University

41.7%

Dakota Wesleyan
University

47.4%

St Thomas University

40.7%

Mitchell College

45.1%

McMurry University

36.1%

Sterling College

45.0%

Limestone College

33.5%

Davis & Elkins College

44.8
%

Faulkner University

32.1%

Defiance College

41.8%

Union College

41.6%

Kansas Wesleyan
University

35.0%

Mitchell College and
Peer Programs

University of
Bridgeport
Adams State
University
North Carolina
Wesleyan College

28.8%
28.8%
20.7%

East Stroudsburg
University of
Pennsylvania
University of Nebraska
at Kearney
Worcester State
University
Framingham State
University
Eastern Connecticut
State University
Fitchburg State
University
California University of
Pennsylvania
Salem State University
Southern Connecticut
State University
Frostburg State
University
Western Connecticut
State University
Western Oregon
University
Valley City State
University
University of
Wisconsin-Parkside

57.3%
56.9%
55.8%
54.7%
54.5%
54.0%
53.8%
51.9%
51.4%
47.1%
45.7%
38.9%
35.0%
24.3%

Source: College Results Online (2016). “Similar colleges” to Mitchell College, University of Bridgeport, and Western Connecticut
State University—respectively. Retrieved August 2019 at http://www.collegeresults.org/search_basic.aspx.

2

 In the table above, six-year graduation rates for Mitchell College, University of
Bridgeport, and Western Connecticut State University are listed relative to their
respective cohort of peer institutions. Unfortunately, when compared to schools
serving similar populations of students, these three Connecticut schools still perform
poorly when it comes to student completion. This is a dubious distinction among
Connecticut colleges. Students who are admitted to any of these three schools
would be wise to consider other options that might serve them better.

Six-Year Completion for Underrepresented Minority Populations
The story is especially bleak when
the data are disaggregated to show
how Connecticut’s four-year
colleges are serving students of
various races. Of the 22 four-year
Connecticut colleges for which
comparable data is available, seven
consistently graduate less than 50%
of their underrepresented minority
populations over a period of time
stretching six years from initial
enrollment. These schools are:
Central Connecticut State
University, Eastern Connecticut
State University, Mitchell College,
Southern Connecticut State
University, University of Bridgeport,
University of Hartford, and Western
Connecticut State University.
Although, to be fair to these seven,
they’re not alone in Connecticut.
Nearly half of the state’s four-year
programs have missed that same
50% graduation rate benchmark at
some point over the last three
years. (For a list of schools that miss
the benchmark for African
American or Latinx populations,
see Appendices A and B.)
Of note with respect to Central
Connecticut State University: When
compared to its national peer
cohort, its completion rates are less
objectionable than the other six

6-Year Graduation Rate for Underrepresented Minority
Students
College Name

2015

2016

2017

Albertus Magnus College
Central Connecticut State
University

61.5%

40.8%

50.0%

45.0%

47.8%

40.9%

Connecticut College
Eastern Connecticut State
University

78.4%

89.3%

84.2%

39.1%

48.5%

42.2%

Fairfield University

84.4%

84.5%

70.5%

Mitchell College

29.0%

48.3%

24.5%

Quinnipiac University

69.8%

62.8%

72.9%

Sacred Heart University
Southern Connecticut
State University

52.9%

60.4%

71.4%

44.3%

40.1%

43.5%

Trinity College
United States Coast Guard
Academy

84.2%

87.5%

82.9%

ds

75.0%

81.4%

University of Bridgeport

29.2%

25.5%

34.5%

University of Connecticut
University of ConnecticutAvery Point
University of ConnecticutStamford
University of ConnecticutTri-Campus

72.7%

73.1%

74.3%

48.3%

40.6%

58.1%

59.7%

50.0%

63.2%

55.6%

41.5%

41.9%

University of Hartford

41.9%

46.1%

43.9%

University of New Haven

44.0%

42.6%

52.0%

University of Saint Joseph

48.9%

54.1%

55.3%

Wesleyan University
Western Connecticut
State University

88.1%

87.6%

86.6%

45.0%

42.2%

37.1%

Yale University

94.4%

98.60%

98.0%

Source: College Results Online (2015, 2016, and 2017). Graduation rates
over time for Connecticut four-year colleges. Retrieved August 2019
at http://www.collegeresults.org/search_group.aspx.

3

 consistently low-performers.3 Although Central Connecticut State University’s
underrepresented minority population graduates within six years at a disappointing
rate, Central still performs better than many colleges nationally with similar
admissions standards serving similar students. (For the comparison data, see
Appendix C.)
In contrast, colleges like Southern Connecticut State University, the University of
Bridgeport, and the University of Hartford, to name three examples, do a poor job of
graduating various underrepresented minority populations, relative to their
respective national peer cohorts. (For instance, the tables below show 2016 6-year
graduation rates for Latinx students at these three schools, each compared to its
respective cohort of national peers.)
6-Yr Latinx Grad Rate
Southern Connecticut
State University and
2016
Peers
East Stroudsburg
52.4%
University of Pennsylvania
Lock Haven University
California State UniversitySan Marcos
Western Connecticut
State University
Western Oregon
University
California University of
Pennsylvania
University of West
Georgia
Salem State University
Kutztown University of
Pennsylvania
Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania
Stephen F Austin State
University
Southern Connecticut
State University

6-Yr Latinx Grad Rate
University of
Bridgeport and
2016
Peers

6-Yr Latinx Grad Rate
University of
Hartford and Peers

2016

Faulkner University

ds

Monmouth
University

62.6%

50.0%

Greensboro College

ds

Gannon University

62.5%

47.7%

Limestone College

ds

Suffolk University

61.5%

ds

Hood College

59.1%

46.9%
46.4%
44.4%
42.9%
41.8%
41.6%
39.3%
37.9%

North Carolina
Wesleyan College
William Peace
University
Concordia CollegeNew York
Mount Mary
University
Alverno College
Southwestern
Adventist University
Saint Peter's
University
Dominican College of
Blauvelt

ds
53.3%

57.4%
53.3%

50.0%

Lewis University

51.6%

44.3%

Eastern Connecticut
State University

51.5%

43.5%

Le Moyne College

51.4%

43.1%
42.9%

35.1%

St Thomas University

38.6%

Frostburg State University

34.7%

American
International College

37.5%

Clarion University of
Pennsylvania

29.4%

McMurry University

32.6%

Indiana State University

21.7%

Indiana UniversityNorthwest

19.0%

University of
Bridgeport
Adams State
University

Hardin-Simmons
University
Pace UniversityNew York

26.3%
25.5%

Stevenson
University
University of New
Haven
University of
Hartford
Robert Morris
University
Widener UniversityMain Campus
York College
Pennsylvania
Norwich University

47.5%
43.3%
41.4%
40.0%
39.3%
39.0%
34.8%

Source:: College Results Online (2016). “Similar colleges” to Southern Connecticut State University, University of Bridgeport, and
University of Hartford—respectively. Retrieved August 2019 at http://www.collegeresults.org/search_basic.aspx.

Of the seven schools that consistently graduate less than 50% of their underrepresented minority
populations within 6 years, only Central Connecticut State University compares favorably to its national peer
cohort on all four of the following metrics for 2016 comparison data: 6-year graduation rates, 6-year
graduation rates for underrepresented minority populations, 6-year graduation rates for African American
students, and 6-year graduation rates for Latinx students.
3

4

 The Cost of CT’s Four-Year Programs
Low completion rates, particularly ones that impact racial minority populations, raise
serious questions about:
•
•
•
•

The quality of relevant four-year colleges;
The possibility of racial biases;
The continuation of opportunity gaps in Connecticut; and
K-12 achievement gaps that leave racial minorities underprepared for creditbearing college coursework.

But the out-of-pocket cost of college to families, particularly low-income families,
cannot be dismissed as a critical issue. When students undertake debt to enroll in
programs of higher education, and then do not complete those programs, they are
often left in an even worse economic situation than before they started.

Connecticut College
and Peer Colleges

Average Net
Price for LowIncome
Students in
2016
($0-$30K)

Lewis & Clark College

$18,864

Macalester College

$16,848

Connecticut College

$15,498

Reed College

$11,963

Franklin and Marshall College

$11,849

Mount Holyoke College

$11,694

Occidental College

$11,547

Trinity University

$11,378

Hamilton College

$8,631

Davidson College

$8,163

Swarthmore College

$8,038

Bowdoin College

$6,822

Colby College

$6,481

Bates College

$3,497

Washington and Lee
University
Colorado College

$920
($1,068)

Source: College Results Online (2016). “Similar colleges” to
Connecticut College. Retrieved August 2019 at
http://www.collegeresults.org/search_basic.aspx.

As compared to peer institutions with
similar admissions standards, several
four-year colleges in Connecticut report
average net prices (that is, price after all
federal, state, and institution grant aid is
conferred) for low-income students that
are quite high.
Albertus Magnus College, Central
Connecticut State University,
Connecticut College, Quinnipiac
University, Sacred Heart University,
Southern Connecticut State University,
Trinity College, University of Bridgeport,
University of Connecticut, University of
Hartford, Western Connecticut State
University, and Yale University all have
charged at least double a national peer
when it comes to net prices for lowincome students — and that’s for just a
single year of higher education. Multiply
the difference by four or more years to
appreciate the true impact on families.
(See Appendix D for a list of CT four-year
programs that cost significantly more
than most of their respective peers,
after financial aid.)

5

 Less for More
Most problematic is the set of Connecticut four-year colleges that generate low
levels of student success and charge a higher net price than other comparable
colleges serving similar student populations. This list of double offenders includes
the Southern Connecticut State University, University of Bridgeport, the University of
Hartford, and Western Connecticut State University.
Western Connecticut State University, for example, has an average net price (again,
that is out-of-pocket cost after all grant aid is conferred) for low-income students
north of $14,000 per year. At $2,707 less per year, Westfield State University, located
in Massachusetts, has similar admissions standards, serves similar students, and
generates a far higher graduation rate.
Comparison: 2017 6-Year Grad
Rate

70.0%
60.0%

Comparison: Average Net Price
for Low-Income Students
($0-30K)
$20,000

50.0%

$15,000

40.0%
30.0%

$10,000

20.0%

$5,000

10.0%
0.0%

$0
Westfield State
University
(Mass.)

Western
Connecticut
State University

Westfield State
University
(Mass.)

Western
Connecticut
State University

Source: College Results Online (2016). “Similar colleges” to Western Connecticut State University. Retrieved August 2019 at
http://www.collegeresults.org/search_basic.aspx.

In the short-term, students and parents deserve transparency about schools that are
“double offenders” in the categories of both low completion rates and high out-ofpocket net price.
In the long-term, however, policymakers and the state should focus on pushing for
meaningful improvement. As a starting point to that conversation, we might turn to
studying the schools that are serving students well, particularly underrepresented
minority populations, by charging reasonable costs for more acceptable rates of
completion.

6

 4-year programs that compare
favorably with peers in
completion rates for
underrepresented minorities:
•
Albertus Magnus College
•
Central Connecticut State
University
•
Connecticut College
•
Fairfield University
•
Trinity College
•
University of Connecticut
•
University of ConnecticutStamford
•
University of Saint Joseph
•
Yale University

4-year programs that graduate
over 60% of underrepresented
minority populations within six
years:
•
Connecticut College
•
Fairfield University
•
Quinnipiac University
•
Sacred Heart University
•
Trinity College
•
United States Coast Guard
Academy
•
University of Connecticut
•
Wesleyan University
•
Yale University

4-year programs with costs for
low-income families that
compare favorably with peers:
•
•

University of ConnecticutTri-Campus
Wesleyan University

Source: College Results Online (2016). “Similar colleges” for each Connecticut school. Retrieved August 2019 at
http://www.collegeresults.org/search_basic.aspx.
(See Appendix E for a list of schools with favorable comparative completion rates for underrepresented minorities, Appendix F for
a list of schools that graduate over 60% of their underrepresented minority populations in six years, and Appendix G for schools
with favorable comparative costs to low-income families.)

The table above summarizes schools in Connecticut from whom we might learn
powerful lessons about how best to serve underrepresented minority populations.
As compared to their respective cohorts, Albertus Magnus College, Central
Connecticut State University, Connecticut College, Fairfield University, Trinity
College, the University of Connecticut (UConn), UConn-Stamford, the University of
Saint Joseph, and Yale University all compare to their peers very reasonably in their
completion rates for underrepresented minorities. Of this group, Connecticut
College, Fairfield University, Trinity College, UConn, and Yale all graduate more than
60% of their underrepresented minority populations within six years of initial
enrollment.
Looking at net price, the UConn-Tri-Campus and Wesleyan distinguish themselves
for what they charge to students from low-income families, relative to their peer
schools.
Nationally, we see this same completion phenomenon at schools like Florida State
and SUNY-Albany that outperform peer institutions when it comes to serving
underrepresented minorities.4

A Word on Minority Teacher Recruitment
A final note on minority teachers: Connecticut has made clear throughout recent
legislative sessions that increasing the recruitment and retention of teachers of color
is a priority for the state’s education system. Attention to and improvement of
African American and Latinx student postsecondary graduation rates should be part
of any minority teacher recruitment effort.

Education Trust (2017). A Look at Black Student Success: Identifying Top- and Bottom-Performing
Institutions. Retrieved September 2019 at https://edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/A-Look-at-BlackStudent-Success.pdf.
4

7

 Many of the schools highlighted in this analysis as being low performers in either
rates of completion, net price, or both also house teacher preparation programs. The
table below displays the enrollment rates and completion rates for
underrepresented minority populations in 2016. Of the listed schools, those with
educator preparation programs are highlighted in yellow.

College Name

2016 Percentage
Underrepresented Minority
Enrolled

2016 Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year Grad Rate

Albertus Magnus College

49.8%

40.8%

Central Connecticut State University

24.6%

47.8%

Connecticut College

12.3%

89.3%

Eastern Connecticut State University

17.6%

48.5%

Fairfield University

9.7%

84.5%

Mitchell College

28.3%

48.3%

Quinnipiac University

13.5%

62.8%

Sacred Heart University

11.6%

60.4%

Southern Connecticut State University

28.1%

40.1%

Trinity College

13.2%

88.5%

United States Coast Guard Academy

14.4%

77.8%

University of Bridgeport

55.0%

25.5%

University of Connecticut

14.3%

73.1%

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

13.7%

40.6%

University of Connecticut-Stamford

34.3%

50.0%

University of Connecticut-Tri-Campus

26.5%

41.5%

University of Hartford

27.3%

46.1%

University of New Haven

20.2%

42.6%

University of Saint Joseph

31.7%

54.1%

Wesleyan University

18.0%

87.6%

Western Connecticut State University

30.7%

42.2%

Yale University

18.90%

98.60%

Source: College Results Online (2016). Retrieved August 2019 at http://www.collegeresults.org/search_group.aspx.

If we are serious about increasing home-grown efforts and minority teacher
recruitment, we need to devise strategies for improving the enrollment and
completion rates of people of color at these colleges. For transparency and
improvement purposes, it would also be helpful if the state published the
graduation rates, in-state employment rates as teachers, and retention rates in the
field for educator preparation programs at these institutions.

8

 Methodology
The data for this analysis, drawn from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), is based on the performance of firsttime, full-time students. Not included are transfer students and part-time students.
Of note, however, nationally, part-time students graduate at substantially lower rates
than first-time, full-time students.5 In other words, their inclusion would make most
institution graduation rates look worse.
Peer institutions are drawn from College Results Online (CRO), which uses an
algorithm to identify schools that have similar characteristics and serve similar
student bodies. Rather than only comparing Connecticut schools to one another
outright — some of which serve widely different student populations and have
widely different admissions standards — using CRO peer groups facilitates a more
“apples-to-apples” comparison of the data. For every four-year Connecticut college
that we analyzed, we compared its 2016 IPEDS data to a cohort of similar national
institutions from CRO. We used 2015, 2016, and 2017 data when comparing
Connecticut colleges to each other.
Because of the nature of these data sources, our analysis looks solely at data from
four-year colleges and does not include data on community colleges, which lack a
comparable peer group set on CRO. Also excluded are six four-year Connecticut
colleges that are so unique that they lack peer groups in the CRO system.

Radford, A., et. al. (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Persistence and Attainment of 2003-04
Beginning Postsecondary Students: After 6 Years, Table 1. Retrieved October 2019 at
https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011151.
5

9

 Appendices
Appendix A. 2016 Data: Connecticut Colleges That Graduated Less Than
50% of African American Students Within 6-Years.
2016 African American
6-Year Grad Rate

College Name
University of Hartford

46.7%

Albertus Magnus College

45.9%

Eastern Connecticut State University

44.6%

Southern Connecticut State University

44.0%

University of New Haven

42.9%

University of Saint Joseph

42.3%

Central Connecticut State University

39.4%

Mitchell College

36.4%

Western Connecticut State University

36.4%

University of Bridgeport

25.5%

Appendix B. 2016 Data: Connecticut Colleges That Graduated Less Than
50% of Their Latinx Students Within 6-Years.
2016 Latinx
6-Year Grad Rate

College Name
Western Connecticut State University

46.9%

University of Connecticut-Stamford

46.6%

University of New Haven

43.3%

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

41.7%

University of Hartford

41.4%

Albertus Magnus College

36.4%

Southern Connecticut State University

35.1%

University of Connecticut-Tri-Campus

33.7%

University of Bridgeport

26.3%

Appendix C. 6-Year Graduation Rate for Central Connecticut State
University and Peer Programs in 2016
6-Year
Grad
Rate

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Bridgewater State University

58.6%

53.2%

African
American
6-Year
Grad Rate
60.7%

Farmingdale State College

53.4%

47.5%

52.6%

46.3%

University of Northern Colorado

48.4%

43.6%

40.6%

44.6%

Central Connecticut State University

53.7%

47.8%

39.4%

54.4%

William Paterson University of New Jersey

50.9%

44.0%

38.3%

47.6%

Central Connecticut State University and
Peer Programs in 2016

Latinx
6-Year
Grad Rate
46.8%

i

 Murray State University

48.6%

36.0%

36.8%

32.0%

Saint Cloud State University

44.1%

37.1%

35.9%

40.0%

Central Washington University

52.5%

50.9%

35.7%

55.5%

University of Central Missouri

52.8%

38.6%

34.9%

52.2%

Marshall University

44.8%

32.1%

34.4%

25.0%

Pittsburg State University

48.0%

42.6%

31.4%

46.8%

Northern Michigan University

46.8%

33.7%

30.0%

37.1%

Northern Kentucky University

37.6%

23.7%

22.7%

25.0%

Saginaw Valley State University

38.0%

20.9%

19.5%

35.7%

University of Southern Indiana

37.7%

21.5%

18.1%

36.8%

Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort
Wayne

23.8%

12.1%

5.2%

23.0%

Appendix D. Connecticut Colleges with Net Prices for Low-Income
Students That Are At Least Twice That of a National Peer College
Albertus Magnus College
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Felician College

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

Farmingdale State College

$3,064

$13,804

Northern Kentucky University

$3,464

Nyack College

$13,893

Indiana University-Purdue
University-Fort Wayne

$5,452

Mary Baldwin College

$14,602

Marshall University

$6,615

Marygrove College

$14,623

University of Southern Indiana

$7,310

Dominican College of Blauvelt

$14,983

Murray State University

$7,421

Ferrum College

$15,257

Northern Michigan University

$7,737

Concordia College-New York

$15,330

Central Washington University

$8,693

Lincoln College

$15,447

Pittsburg State University

$10,132

Alverno College

$17,119

University of Central Missouri

$10,951

Grace Bible College

$12,181

Central Connecticut State
University
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

William Peace University

$19,000

Saint Cloud State University

$11,087

American International College

$19,170

Saginaw Valley State University

$11,940

Newbury College

$21,288

Central Connecticut State University

$13,002

Everglades University

$24,459

William Paterson University of New
Jersey

$13,710

Albertus Magnus College

$24,902

Bridgewater State University

$15,805

Greensboro College

$25,378

University of Northern Colorado

$16,776

Connecticut College
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Colorado College
Washington and Lee University

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

Quinnipiac University
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

-$1,068

Salve Regina University

$14,034

$920

John Carroll University

$16,358

ii

 Bates College

$3,497

Siena College

$16,379

Colby College

$6,481

Otterbein University

$17,238

Bowdoin College

$6,822

Saint Anselm College

$18,601

Swarthmore College

$8,038

Duquesne University

$19,546

Davidson College

$8,163

Seton Hall University

$19,877

Hamilton College

$8,631

University of San Francisco

$19,955

Trinity University

$11,378

University of St Thomas

$20,910

Occidental College

$11,547

Roanoke College

$21,655

Mount Holyoke College

$11,694

Xavier University

$22,444

Franklin and Marshall College

$11,849

University of Scranton

$23,219

Reed College

$11,963

Biola University

$24,595

Connecticut College

$15,498

Quinnipiac University

$30,412

Macalester College

$16,848

High Point University

$33,580

Lewis & Clark College

$18,864

Pratt Institute-Main

$41,227

Sacred Heart University
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Harding University

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

Southern Connecticut State
University
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

$12,338

Indiana University-Northwest

$5,142

York College Pennsylvania

$17,238

California State University-San
Marcos

$5,417

Monmouth University

$17,763

Stephen F Austin State University

$6,876

Providence College

$19,510

Indiana State University

$7,840

Xavier University

$22,444

Western Oregon University

$12,189

Marist College

$22,458

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

$12,288

University of Scranton

$23,219

University of West Georgia

$12,940

Belmont University

$23,754

Salem State University

$12,951

Loyola University Maryland

$24,470

Southern Connecticut State
University

$13,571

University of New Haven

$24,667

Lock Haven University

$13,943

Roger Williams University

$26,050

East Stroudsburg University of
Pennsylvania

$14,491

Endicott College

$27,007

Frostburg State University

$14,924

Saint Joseph's University

$27,875

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

$15,088

Bryant University

$29,966

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

$15,208

Sacred Heart University

$32,703

Western Connecticut State
University

$15,556

High Point University

$33,580

California University of Pennsylvania

$15,810

University of Bridgeport
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

Trinity College
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Colorado College

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)
($1,068)

Saint Peter's University

$10,472

iii

 Bates College

$3,497

Adams State University

$11,446

Gettysburg College

$9,956

Mount Mary University

$13,430

Skidmore College

$11,071

Dominican College of Blauvelt

$14,983

Trinity University

$11,378

Concordia College-New York

$15,330

Franklin and Marshall College

$11,849

St Thomas University

$15,760

Dickinson College

$11,974

North Carolina Wesleyan College

$16,208

Denison University

$12,098

Southwestern Adventist University

$16,921

St Lawrence University

$12,384

Alverno College

$17,119

Muhlenberg College

$12,422

McMurry University

$18,888

Trinity College

$14,221

William Peace University

$19,000

The College of Wooster

$14,420

American International College

$19,170

Connecticut College

$15,498

Faulkner University

$19,835

Hobart William Smith Colleges

$15,660

Limestone College

$22,303

Macalester College

$16,848

University of Bridgeport

$22,361

Rhodes College

$16,979

Greensboro College

$25,378

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

University of Hartford
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill

$3,889

Eastern Connecticut State University

$12,991

Brigham Young University-Provo

$8,939

Hood College

$13,918

Stony Brook University

$8,954

Hardin-Simmons University

$15,349

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

$9,639

Lewis University

$16,061

SUNY at Binghamton

$11,086

Le Moyne College

$17,085

University of Connecticut

$11,626

York College Pennsylvania

$17,238

University at Buffalo

$11,637

Gannon University

$17,747

University of Delaware

$11,750

Monmouth University

$17,763

Miami University-Oxford

$13,759

Robert Morris University

$20,697

George Mason University

$15,089

Norwich University

$21,708

Syracuse University

$17,662

Stevenson University

$22,046

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh
Campus

$21,581

Pace University-New York

$24,075

Boston University

$21,773

Suffolk University

$24,359

Drexel University

$25,332

University of New Haven

$24,667

DePaul University

$25,830

University of Hartford

$26,271

Baylor University

$27,222

Widener University-Main Campus

$26,481

University of Connecticut
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Western Connecticut State
University
and Peer Colleges in 2016
University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)
$7,119

Yale University
and Peer Colleges in 2016

University of Chicago

Average
Net Price
for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)
$2,551

iv

 Valley City State University

$9,641

Yale University

$5,171

Fitchburg State University

$11,055

Columbia University in the City of
New York

$9,481

Westfield State University

$12,038

Western Oregon University

$12,189

University of Nebraska at Kearney

$12,417

Salem State University

$12,951

Eastern Connecticut State University

$12,991

Southern Connecticut State
University

$13,571

Framingham State University

$13,636

East Stroudsburg University of
Pennsylvania

$14,491

Keene State College

$14,683

Frostburg State University

$14,924

Worcester State University

$15,298

Western Connecticut State
University

$15,556

California University of Pennsylvania

$15,810

Appendix E. 2016 Data: Connecticut Colleges With 6-Year Graduation
Rates for Underrepresented Minority Populations That Fall Within the
Top Third of Their Cohorts of National Peers.
Albertus Magnus College
and Peer Programs in 2016
Grace Bible College

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Central Connecticut State
University and Peer
Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

ds

Bridgewater State University

53.2%

Everglades University

53.0%

Concordia College-New York

44.7%

William Peace University

43.5%

Central Washington
University
Central Connecticut State
University
Farmingdale State College
William Paterson University
of New Jersey
University of Northern
Colorado

50.9%
47.8%
47.5%

Mary Baldwin College

42.4%

44.0%

Albertus Magnus College

40.8%

Dominican College of
Blauvelt

39.7%

Pittsburg State University

42.6%

Felician College

39.2%

University of Central Missouri

38.6%

Greensboro College

39.1%

Saint Cloud State University

37.1%

Newbury College

43.6%

38.8%

Murray State University

36.0%

American International
College

35.6%

Northern Michigan
University

33.7%

Alverno College

33.3%

Marshall University

32.1%

Nyack College

24.8%

Ferrum College

22.1%

Marygrove College

20.0%

Lincoln College

0.0%

Northern Kentucky
University
University of Southern
Indiana
Saginaw Valley State
University
Indiana University-Purdue
University-Fort Wayne

23.7%
21.5%
20.9%
12.1%

v

 Connecticut College and
Peer Programs in 2016
Washington and Lee
University

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Fairfield University and
Peer Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

100.0%

Fairfield University

84.5%

93.5%

Bentley University

83.3%

Colorado College

91.8%

Hobart William Smith
Colleges

80.8%

Connecticut College

89.3%

Marist College

78.6%

Swarthmore College

88.9%

Loyola University Maryland

77.8%

Bowdoin College

87.6%

Emerson College

77.4%

Franklin and Marshall
College

87.0%

University of Scranton

72.5%

Bates College

86.5%

Providence College

68.3%

Occidental College

84.8%

Roger Williams University

66.7%

Colby College

83.9%

Drake University

65.9%

Hamilton College

83.6%

Bryant University

64.1%

Macalester College

82.5%

Saint Joseph's University

63.0%

Mount Holyoke College

80.5%

Creighton University

62.1%

Trinity University

67.6%

Butler University

60.0%

Lewis & Clark College

67.5%

Xavier University

58.3%

Reed College

59.3%

Yeshiva University

45.5%

Davidson College

Trinity College and Peer
Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

University of Connecticut
and Peer Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Colorado College

91.80%

University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill

85.9%

Connecticut College

89.30%

Boston University

85.1%

Trinity College

88.50%

SUNY at Binghamton

82.5%

Skidmore College

87.00%

Syracuse University

79.8%

Franklin and Marshall
College

87.00%

University of Connecticut

73.1%

Bates College

86.50%

University of Delaware

71.5%

Muhlenberg College

82.90%

University at Buffalo

71.1%

St Lawrence University

82.60%

Miami University-Oxford

71.0%

Macalester College

82.50%

George Mason University

71.0%

Brigham Young UniversityProvo
University of PittsburghPittsburgh Campus
University of MassachusettsAmherst

69.0%

Gettysburg College

81.80%

70.9%

Hobart William Smith
Colleges

80.80%

Dickinson College

80.60%

Denison University

78.90%

Stony Brook University

67.2%

Rhodes College

77.40%

Baylor University

66.1%

The College of Wooster

73.00%

DePaul University

64.0%

Trinity University

67.60%

Drexel University

55.6%

67.5%

vi

 University of ConnecticutStamford and Peer
Programs in 2016
University of ConnecticutStamford
University of ConnecticutTri-Campus
University of ConnecticutAvery Point

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

University of Saint Joseph
and Peer Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

50.0%

Dakota Wesleyan University

54.5%

41.5%

University of Saint Joseph

54.1%

40.6%

Regis College

52.9%

San Diego Christian College

52.4%

Point Park University

48.1%

98.60%

Mount Saint Mary College

45.5%

Columbia University in the
City of New York

90.50%

Pennsylvania State
University-Penn State Mont
Alto

38.4%

University of Chicago

88.10%

Huntingdon College

34.7%

Howard Payne University

34.5%

Yale University and Peer
Programs in 2016

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Yale University

Bluffton University

31.6%

Lake Erie College

28.9%

Pfeiffer University

26.5%

Grand View University

25.0%

Tabor College

24.3%

Defiance College

23.9%

Davis & Elkins College

23.8%

Appendix F. 2016 Data: Connecticut Colleges That Graduated Over 60% of
Underrepresented Minority Populations Within 6-Years.
College Name

Underrepresented
Minority 6-Year
Grad Rate

Yale University

98.6%

Connecticut College

89.3%

Wesleyan University

87.6%

Fairfield University

84.5%

United States Coast Guard Academy

77.8%

University of Connecticut

73.1%

Trinity University

67.6%

Quinnipiac University

62.8%

Sacred Heart University

60.4%

Appendix G. 2016 Data: Connecticut Colleges With Average Net Prices for
Low-Income Families That Are in the Lowest Bottom of Their Cohorts of
National Peers.
University of Connecticut-Tri-Campus
and Peer Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price

Wesleyan University and Peer
Colleges in 2016

Average
Net Price

vii

 for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

for LowIncome
Students
($0-$30K)

Husson University

$15,129

Connecticut College

$15,498

Bethany Global University

$11,825

Oberlin College

$14,146

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

$4,892

Denison University

$12,098

University of Connecticut-Stamford

$4,831

Franklin and Marshall College

$11,849

University of Connecticut-Tri-Campus

$3,730

Mount Holyoke College

$11,694

Occidental College

$11,547

St Olaf College

$10,929

College of the Holy Cross

$9,169

Smith College

$9,038

University of Richmond

$8,681

Wellesley College

$8,357

Barnard College

$7,335

Colgate University

$6,892

Middlebury College

$5,788

Wesleyan University

$5,647

Vassar College

$5,585

viii