First-year retention rates are determined by examining each cohort of students who enter as first-time, full-time students and still are enrolled one year later at the same institution. The Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange (CSRDE) provides first-year retention benchmarks for four-year institutions. American College Testing (ACT) provides first-year retention benchmarks for both two-year and four-year institutions.

Many higher-education consortia provide their own first-year retention rates. If your institution is a member of a consortium, contact the organization directly to obtain these rates.