The number of students returning to university after their first year of study increased among all key equity groups in 2024, according to a new report by the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES).
But there remained significant variability between individual equity groups, while “non-equity” students continued to record markedly higher first-year retention rates.
Drawing on the latest available figures, the report—part of ACSES’s Data Insights Series—revealed the overall first-year student retention rate grew by 2.6 percentage points to more than 86% nationwide in 2023 (students returning in 2024).
However, on a group-by-group basis, the retention rate ranged from 75% for First Nations Australian students to 84% for students with disability—compared with 88% for “non-equity” students.
Report author and ACSES Data Program Director, Associate Professor Gemma Cadby, said closer examination of the data revealed even greater variation.
“For example, while the overall retention rate for students from remote areas was nearly 80%, the retention rate at individual institutions for this equity group ranged from 46% to 100%,” she said.
Higher education retention data reflects the effectiveness of universities in supporting underserved student cohorts—or equity groups—who have been historically disadvantaged in the education system.
It is a key indicator of student success and institutional performance, serving as a critical measure of engagement among equity groups.
“Retention rate data is important for identifying where retention challenges are concentrated and informing more targeted and effective institutional and sector‑level initiatives,” Associate Professor Cadby said.
“But it’s only a starting point. With access to more detailed data held by universities, it would be possible to undertake an even deeper analysis—for example, stratifying retention by mode of attendance (online versus in‑person), mode of study (full‑time versus part‑time), field of education or course, support service usage, and much more.”
The full report, Retention rates in Australian higher education: Analysis of 2024 data (2026 update), is now available on the ACSES website.
To further explore these data, along with additional indicators, refer to ACSES’s Interactive Data Tool.
