Retention and Achievement
Statistics relating to attainment, attrition, retention and completion of students at tertiary education providers and through industry training.
Tertiary student qualification and course completions
This section has updated statistics on the progression, attrition and completion rates by predominant field of study for students at government-funded tertiary education providers who started their qualifications between 2003 and 2018.
Key findings for provider-based tertiary education
What does the 2018 data show?
- Overall, the number of domestic and international students completing a qualification fell in 2018 to 115,200 domestic students (down 3,080 or 2.6%), and 24,400 international students (down 430 or 1.7%). This fall is consistent with declining enrolment numbers over the past few years. The decreases in completions occurred across nearly all fields of study, and for all ages.
- While the number of completions has decreased, domestic qualification completion rates have improved over time for all ethnic groups. Māori and Pacific Peoples generally have 5-year completion rates on a par with or above the average for lower-level qualifications and for graduate certificates and diplomas, but are below average for bachelors and masters degrees, and honours degrees and post-graduate certificates and diplomas. Asian students have the highest completion rates at all qualification levels.
- The latest tertiary completions data for domestic students shows that women, those studying full-time and those attending classes on-campus generally have higher qualification completion rates than men, part-time students and those studying off-campus respectively.
- The latest 8-year full-time domestic retention rate for bachelors degrees is 78%, while for all types of study the bachelors degree retention rate is 70%. Across all qualification levels, the 8-year full-time domestic retention rate is 83%, while for all types of study it is 74%.
- Graduate progression rates were similar to the previous year. For domestic students completing a qualification in 2017, 37% of Level 1 and 2 certificate graduates continued with higher-level study in 2018, 28% of Level 3 certificate graduates, 30% of Level 4 certificate graduates, and 21% of bachelors degree graduates.
Qualification completion numbers
The overall number of domestic students that completed a qualification decreased by 2.6% (3,075 students) from 118,180 in 2017 to 115,180 in 2018. This was largely driven by a decrease of 15% in completions for Level 4 certificates. International student completion numbers also dropped overall by 1.7% (420 students) from 24,835 in 2017 to 24,415 in 2018. The decreases in completion numbers occurred across nearly all fields of study, and for all ages. This fall follows declining enrolment numbers over the past few years (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Number of domestic students enrolled and number completing qualifications 2003-2018
Qualification and course completion rates
Completion rates in 2018 were similar to 2017. Qualification completion rates can be calculated for any number of years after a group of students has started study. The completion rate for each qualification level reaches a plateau after which it no longer increases. The rates shown in the graphs below have different follow up periods to allow for the different length of qualification, 3 years for Level 4 certificates and 7 years for bachelors degrees.
Figures 2 and 4 compare completion rates for Level 4 certificates and bachelors degrees by study pattern. Figures 3 and 5 compare the same qualifications by gender. While completion rates for part-time students have been increasing, they remain lower than for full-time students. Completion rates for female students remain higher than for male students.
Figure 2: Level 4 certificate 3-year completion rates by study pattern
Figure 3: Level 4 certificate 3-year completion rates by gender
Figure 4: Bachelors degree 7-year completion rates by study pattern
Figure 5: Bachelors degree 7-year completion rates by gender
Domestic qualification completion rates have improved over time for all ethnic groups. Figures 6 and 7 show completion rates for Level 4 certificates and bachelors degrees by ethnicity. Māori and Pacific Peoples generally have domestic completion rates on a par with or above the average for certificate-level qualifications and for graduate certificates and diplomas, but are below average for bachelors and post-graduate qualifications. Asian students had the highest completion rates at both qualification levels.
Figure 6: Level 4 certificate 3-year completion rates by ethnicity
Figure 7: Bachelors degree 7-year completion rates by ethnicity
Retention rates
Retention rates measure how long students persist in their studies. The retention rate includes students who completed their qualification as well as those who did not complete their original qualification but continued their studies in a higher-level qualification. The latest 8-year full-time domestic retention rate for bachelors degrees is 79%, while for all types of study the bachelors degree retention rate is 71%. Across all qualification levels, the 8-year full-time domestic retention rate is 83%, while for all types of study it is 74% (see Figure 8). The complement of retention is attrition, or how many students leave without completing.
Figure 8: Bachelors degree 7-year completion rates by ethnicity
Graduate progression rates
Many students continue their tertiary studies after completing a tertiary qualification, and this progression is often to a higher level of study than the qualification completed. Not surprisingly, graduate progression rates are usually higher for those completing lower-level certificate qualifications when compared to higher-level qualifications, such as graduate diplomas and masters degrees. An exception to this is bachelors degrees (a higher-level qualification), which also have relatively high graduate progression rates.
For domestic students completing a qualification in 2017, 37% of Level 1 and 2 certificate graduates, 28% of Level 3 certificate graduates, 30% of Level 4 certificate graduates, and 21% of bachelors degree graduates continued with higher-level study in 2018. In contrast, 9% of those completing a graduate certificate or diploma in 2017, and 5% of masters graduates, continued with higher-level study in 2018.
Technical notes and definitions
Methodology – full details of the method used to calculate tertiary qualification completion, attrition, direct progression and graduate progression rates can be found in this factsheet [https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/occasional-papers/how-does-the-ministry-of-education-calculate-tertiary-qualification-completion-rates]. It covers terminology and definitions, and provides worked examples of the calculations, as well as example data tables with guides to their interpretation.
Statistical Tables
Gaining Qualifications Updated: July 2019
- Gaining qualifications [MS Excel 730kB]
Field of Specialisation for Students Gaining Qualifications from Tertiary Education Providers Updated: August 2019
Course Completion Rates Updated: July 2019
- Course completion rates [MS Excel 60kB]
Qualification completion, attrition and direct progression rates Updated: July 2019
Broad qualification/type level and broad field of study
- 1 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels
[Zipped MS Excel Binary Worksheet 13mB] - 2 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels Broad FOS
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 32mB] - 3 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels Broad FOS Domestic Ethnicity
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 19mB]
Broad qualification/type level and narrow field of study
- 4 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels Narrow FOS Domestic
[Zipped MS Excel Binary Worksheet 34mB] - 5 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels Narrow FOS International
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 15mB] - 6 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Broad levels Narrow FOS All students
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 35mB]
Detailed qualification type/level
- 7 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Domestic
[Zipped MS Excel Binary Worksheet 10mB] - 8 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels International
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 4.9mB] - 9 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels All students
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 10mB]
Detailed qualification type/level and broad field of study
- 10 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Broad FOS Domestic
[Zipped MS Excel Binary Worksheet 22mB] - 11 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Broad FOS Domestic Ethnicity
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 23mB] - 12 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Broad FOS International
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 11mB] - 13 Direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Broad FOS All students
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 22mB]
Files for business intelligence and analytics tools
- 14 Data direct progression Attrition Completion rates Detailed levels Broad FOS
[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 26mB]
Achievement in industry training Updated: June 2019
- Achievement in industry training [MS Excel 453kB]
Field of Specialisation for Industry Training Learners Gaining Qualifications Updated: June 2019
Qualification attainment at Level 4 or above for those aged 25-34 years Updated: July 2017
Achievement in Targeted Training Programmes Updated: November 2014
- Achievement in targeted training programmes [MS Excel 58kB]
Educational Attainment of the Population Updated: January 2018
- Educational attainment of the population [MS Excel 207kB]
Contact Us
For tertiary education data enquiries, please email the: Tertiary Mailbox