Drake University

What are the graduation rates for students at Drake University?

Drake's reported four-year graduation rate is 66%, and its six-year rate is 73%. These measures follow defined cohorts of first-time, full-time students; they should not be read as completion rates for every transfer, part-time, graduate, or professional student.

The reported overall graduation measure is 74%, while first-year retention is 84%. Retention asks whether students returned after their first year, not whether they ultimately completed a degree. Graduation rates can help an applicant assess the likelihood of finishing within a particular period at the institution, but they cannot explain why an individual student graduates, leaves, or takes longer. Students planning a tightly sequenced major should also examine its course schedule and advising requirements.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Drake University?

Federal College Scorecard program figures offer a limited look at earnings about one year after completion, not a salary promised by a Drake degree. Reported examples include $62,903 for computer and information sciences, $59,063 for accounting, and $56,700 for finance. Other reported fields include journalism at $34,814 and teacher education for specific levels and methods at $41,116.

These are program-level outcomes for the federally aided completers represented in the Scorecard measure, not all alumni or all jobs held by people who studied those subjects. The figures should be interpreted using the Scorecard's measure definition and cohort for the particular credential rather than treated as average starting salaries. Employment status, further study, geography, occupation, and small program cohorts can substantially affect comparisons.

Drake's career services are a different kind of evidence: students can seek career counseling, résumé and interview assistance, employer events, job-search resources, and alumni networking. The existence of those services does not establish a placement rate.