First-Generation College Student Statistics (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 54% of U.S. undergraduates are first-generation college students (neither parent has a bachelor's degree), and 26% have parents who never attended college. EDsmart Data's analysis of 1,399 4-year colleges finds first-generation students finish at their starting college within six years at a 55.5% rate versus 63.4% for continuing-generation classmates, a gap of 7.9 percentage points. They borrow about the same ($15,000 vs $15,000 median debt) but are less likely to be paying down their loans three years out (59.6% vs 65.5%).
Key Facts
- Undergrads who are first-generation: 54%
- 4-year completion, first-gen vs continuing: 55.5% vs 63.4%
- 4-year withdrawal, first-gen vs continuing: 15.4% vs 11.6%
- 3-year loan repayment, first-gen vs continuing: 59.6% vs 65.5%
- Highest first-gen share: California (48.8%)
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What percentage of college students are first-generation?
The answer depends on the definition. Under the most common one, used by the U.S. Department of Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, a first-generation student is an undergraduate whose parents do not hold a bachelor's degree. By that measure, 54% of the 17.1 million undergraduates enrolled in 2019–20 were first-generation. A stricter definition, parents with no postsecondary education at all, covers 26%.
College Scorecard uses a third, narrower lens: the share of federal aid applicants whose parents' highest education is high school or less. At the typical college in our analysis, weighted by enrollment, that share is 40.7%. The college-level figures below use this Scorecard measure, which lets us compare 3,802 individual colleges.
- Parents without a bachelor's degree: 54% of undergraduates (NPSAS:20)
- Parents with no college at all: 26% of undergraduates (NPSAS:20)
- Parents with high school or less, typical college (Scorecard aid applicants): 40.7%
- Median parental income of dependent students: $41,000 first-generation vs $103,000 continuing-generation (NPSAS:20)
First-generation college student graduation and dropout rates
First-gen students finish less often and withdraw more often
At 4-year colleges, 55.5% of first-generation students complete at the college where they started within six years, versus 63.4% of continuing-generation students. 15.4% have left college entirely without a credential, versus 11.6%. At 2-year colleges the completion gap is 3.7 points (17.6% vs 21.3%).
Share of each college's Title IV entering cohort that completed at that college, or withdrew from all colleges, within six years. Enrollment-weighted medians across 1,399 4-year and 598 2-year colleges reporting both groups.
First-gen completion rates when transfers are counted
Counting transfers narrows the gap only slightly
Among the 1,117 4-year colleges that report transfer outcomes, adding students who finished at another college lifts first-gen completion from 55.3% to 70.0%, and continuing-gen completion from 63.0% to 76.5%. The gap moves from 7.7 to 6.5 points.
4-year colleges reporting six-year completion after transfer to a 2-year or 4-year college for both groups. Enrollment-weighted medians.
First-gen vs continuing-gen graduation rates by sector (4-year colleges)
The gap holds at public and private colleges alike
First-generation students trail at public 4-year colleges (56.8% vs 63.8%) and private nonprofits (56.0% vs 64.3%). Only 10% of the 4-year colleges in our analysis graduate first-gen students at the same rate or better.
Six-year completion at the starting college. Sectors need at least 10 colleges; colleges per sector: Public 521, Private nonprofit 844, Private for-profit 34.
First-generation student loan debt vs continuing-generation students
First-gen students borrow about the same at 4-year colleges
The median first-generation borrower at a 4-year college leaves with $15,000 in federal loans, about the same as the $15,000 owed by continuing-generation borrowers. At 2-year colleges the medians are $6,500 and $5,935.
Median federal loan debt of borrowers who left the college (completers and non-completers). Enrollment-weighted medians across colleges.
Student loan repayment rates for first-generation borrowers
Similar loans, slower repayment
Three years after leaving a 4-year college, 59.6% of first-generation borrowers have paid down at least part of their balance, versus 65.5% of continuing-generation borrowers. First-gen borrowers also trail at 2-year colleges (37.2% vs 39.5%) and certificate schools (34.8% vs 36.0%).
Share of borrowers whose balance has declined three years after entering repayment. Enrollment-weighted medians across colleges.
First-generation college students by state
Figures are for the median 2-year or 4-year college in each state, with each college counted once, so a single national online university does not set its home state's number.
| State | First-gen share | First-gen completion (4-year) | Continuing-gen completion (4-year) | Gap (points) | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 48.8% | 63.4% | 67.5% | 4.1 | 203 |
| Nevada | 48.8% | 47.1% | 52.9% | 5.8 | 9 |
| Arizona | 48.6% | 39.9% | 34.5% | -5.3 | 19 |
| West Virginia | 48.4% | 35.3% | 45.0% | 9.7 | 28 |
| New Jersey | 47.1% | 60.2% | 66.9% | 6.7 | 51 |
| New Mexico | 44.5% | 33.1% | 41.5% | 8.4 | 12 |
| Texas | 43.8% | 48.8% | 56.4% | 7.6 | 136 |
| Hawaii | 42.4% | 40.0% | 45.2% | 5.2 | 12 |
| Oklahoma | 42.3% | 40.7% | 48.9% | 8.2 | 38 |
| Delaware | 42.2% | 52.5% | 52.5% | 0.0 | 5 |
| Florida | 41.8% | 48.0% | 56.1% | 8.1 | 80 |
| Washington | 41.1% | 57.6% | 66.5% | 8.9 | 45 |
| Wyoming | 41.0% | — | — | — | 8 |
| Idaho | 40.5% | 52.8% | 58.3% | 5.6 | 11 |
| Oregon | 40.0% | 53.4% | 63.0% | 9.5 | 31 |
| Kentucky | 40.0% | 42.8% | 51.7% | 8.9 | 32 |
| Alaska | 39.9% | — | — | — | 3 |
| Louisiana | 39.7% | 41.2% | 50.6% | 9.4 | 27 |
| Tennessee | 39.5% | 47.2% | 56.3% | 9.1 | 54 |
| Michigan | 38.5% | 49.7% | 62.1% | 12.4 | 67 |
| Mississippi | 38.2% | 37.6% | 49.7% | 12.1 | 29 |
| Arkansas | 37.7% | 39.0% | 53.4% | 14.3 | 23 |
| New Hampshire | 37.2% | 52.1% | 61.1% | 9.0 | 17 |
| Illinois | 37.0% | 54.0% | 64.0% | 9.9 | 74 |
| Maryland | 36.9% | 61.9% | 68.2% | 6.3 | 40 |
| Missouri | 36.6% | 47.7% | 58.2% | 10.5 | 62 |
| Alabama | 36.6% | 43.3% | 50.0% | 6.7 | 33 |
| New York | 36.5% | 59.6% | 66.2% | 6.5 | 180 |
| North Carolina | 36.4% | 47.6% | 52.1% | 4.5 | 83 |
| Kansas | 36.3% | 42.5% | 53.7% | 11.3 | 33 |
| Colorado | 35.9% | 45.5% | 54.0% | 8.5 | 28 |
| Ohio | 35.8% | 50.0% | 61.5% | 11.5 | 80 |
| Connecticut | 34.8% | 58.3% | 62.3% | 4.0 | 22 |
| Montana | 34.8% | 35.0% | 41.9% | 6.8 | 21 |
| Maine | 34.8% | 49.3% | 60.6% | 11.3 | 24 |
| Nebraska | 34.1% | 50.7% | 55.0% | 4.2 | 25 |
| Pennsylvania | 34.0% | 58.3% | 67.0% | 8.8 | 117 |
| Iowa | 33.8% | 55.8% | 64.9% | 9.1 | 39 |
| Virginia | 33.2% | 47.9% | 57.1% | 9.3 | 53 |
| Georgia | 33.0% | 41.3% | 44.1% | 2.8 | 57 |
| Utah | 32.6% | 52.7% | 60.6% | 7.9 | 15 |
| Indiana | 32.3% | 51.7% | 64.7% | 13.0 | 42 |
| South Carolina | 32.0% | 47.8% | 56.6% | 8.9 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | 31.0% | 63.7% | 70.0% | 6.3 | 81 |
| South Dakota | 30.7% | 41.1% | 49.7% | 8.7 | 19 |
| North Dakota | 30.5% | 41.6% | 54.3% | 12.6 | 17 |
| Wisconsin | 29.1% | 56.8% | 61.4% | 4.6 | 34 |
| District of Columbia | 28.7% | 59.3% | 74.7% | 15.3 | 10 |
| Minnesota | 27.7% | 55.2% | 62.1% | 6.9 | 54 |
| Vermont | 22.6% | 68.4% | 65.8% | -2.6 | 8 |
| Rhode Island | 19.7% | 72.6% | 75.9% | 3.3 | 11 |
First-gen share is the median across a state's degree-granting colleges. Completion columns need at least 3 four-year colleges reporting both groups. Territories are excluded.
Top 25 4-year colleges for first-generation student graduation rates
4-year colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates where first-generation students make up 30% or more of aid applicants, ranked by first-gen six-year completion.
| College | State | Type | First-gen share | First-gen completion | Continuing-gen completion | Gap (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Stanford University | CA | Private nonprofit | 30.3% | 89.7% | 86.7% | -3.0 |
| 2. University of California-San Diego | CA | Public | 39.6% | 85.0% | 88.0% | 3.0 |
| 3. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | AR | Public | 39.5% | 83.9% | 80.0% | -3.9 |
| 4. University of Florida | FL | Public | 30.8% | 81.0% | 87.4% | 6.4 |
| 5. University of California-Los Angeles | CA | Public | 38.1% | 80.8% | 85.7% | 4.9 |
| 6. University of California-Davis | CA | Public | 40.8% | 80.5% | 83.2% | 2.7 |
| 7. California State University-Long Beach | CA | Public | 48.6% | 77.2% | 79.1% | 1.9 |
| 8. San Diego State University | CA | Public | 41.2% | 75.2% | 78.2% | 3.0 |
| 9. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | MA | Private nonprofit | 30.5% | 75.1% | 80.4% | 5.3 |
| 10. West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County | CA | Private for-profit | 39.7% | 74.6% | 75.3% | 0.7 |
| 11. University of California-Irvine | CA | Public | 44.0% | 73.7% | 78.7% | 4.9 |
| 12. Monmouth University | NJ | Private nonprofit | 32.3% | 73.3% | 74.9% | 1.6 |
| 13. Stony Brook University | NY | Public | 36.1% | 72.6% | 73.3% | 0.7 |
| 14. California State University-Fullerton | CA | Public | 49.4% | 72.6% | 74.1% | 1.5 |
| 15. Dominican University of California | CA | Private nonprofit | 30.6% | 72.2% | 70.7% | -1.5 |
| 16. Linfield University | OR | Private nonprofit | 30.3% | 72.1% | 76.3% | 4.1 |
| 17. University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | Public | 32.7% | 71.8% | 76.3% | 4.4 |
| 18. Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | Public | 34.6% | 71.3% | 77.2% | 5.8 |
| 19. Stockton University | NJ | Public | 40.4% | 71.2% | 78.4% | 7.2 |
| 20. Adelphi University | NY | Private nonprofit | 35.4% | 70.9% | 70.6% | -0.2 |
| 21. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | Public | 49.3% | 70.8% | 74.9% | 4.1 |
| 22. Molloy University | NY | Private nonprofit | 35.3% | 70.4% | 77.0% | 6.6 |
| 23. University of California-Berkeley | CA | Public | 34.6% | 69.6% | 82.0% | 12.4 |
| 24. Vermont State University | VT | Public | 38.1% | 69.5% | 61.2% | -8.3 |
| 25. University of California-Merced | CA | Public | 57.4% | 69.0% | 67.8% | -1.2 |
What the data shows
First-generation students are not a niche group. Over half of undergraduates are first-gen under the federal definition, and at the typical 2-year college 48.5% of aid applicants have parents with a high school education or less. They are concentrated at community colleges, certificate schools, and for-profit colleges, where first-gen shares run near or above half, versus 29.2% at the typical private nonprofit.
The completion gap is persistent. In our analysis, first-generation students at 4-year colleges finish at 55.5% versus 63.4% for continuing-generation students, and only 10% of 4-year colleges close the gap entirely. Transfers do not explain it away: counting students who finish at another college moves the gap from 7.7 to 6.5 points.
Debt tells a subtler story. First-gen borrowers at 4-year colleges owe about the same as their peers ($15,000 vs $15,000), but fewer are paying down their balances three years later (59.6% vs 65.5%). With similar balances, the repayment gap tracks the completion gap: more first-gen borrowers leave college without the credential they borrowed for.
Some colleges show the gap is not inevitable. Stanford University and others in the top-25 list above enroll large first-gen populations and graduate them at high rates. For students choosing a college, the school-level first-gen completion rate is a far better guide than any national average.
Methodology
National shares come from the U.S. Department of Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20), as reported by RTI International for FirstGen Forward. NPSAS defines first-generation students as undergraduates whose parents do not have a bachelor's degree.
College-level figures come from College Scorecard, which defines first-generation students as federal aid applicants whose parents' highest education is middle school or high school. Because the definitions differ, the Scorecard share at a typical college (40.7%) is lower than the national NPSAS figure (54%).
Completion and withdrawal rates use Scorecard's Title IV cohort: students who received federal grants or loans, including part-time and transfer-in students, followed for six years. Completion counts students who finished at their starting college; withdrawal counts students no longer enrolled anywhere without a credential. Transfer-inclusive rates add students who finished at another 2-year or 4-year college, where reported.
Group figures are medians across colleges weighted by undergraduate enrollment, so large colleges count more than small ones. The state table is the exception: it uses the median college, so national online universities do not dominate their home states. Comparisons of first-gen and continuing-gen students use only colleges that report both groups. When several campuses report identical outcomes (for example, a main campus and its online arm), we keep the largest. Top-25 lists exclude completion rates of exactly 100%, which usually reflect very small cohorts.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of college students are first-generation?
About 54% of U.S. undergraduates are first-generation when the definition is parents without a bachelor's degree (NPSAS:20). Using the stricter definition of parents with no college at all, the figure is 26%. Among federal aid applicants at the typical college, 40.7% have parents with a high school education or less.
What is the graduation rate for first-generation college students?
At 4-year colleges, 55.5% of first-generation students finish at the college where they started within six years, compared with 63.4% of continuing-generation students. Counting students who transfer and finish elsewhere raises the first-gen rate to about 70.0% at colleges that report transfers.
What is the first-generation college student dropout rate?
About 15.4% of first-generation students at 4-year colleges withdraw from college entirely within six years without earning a credential, versus 11.6% of continuing-generation students. At 2-year colleges, 42.8% of first-gen students withdraw, versus 33.6%.
Do first-generation students have more student loan debt?
Not at 4-year colleges: the median first-generation borrower at a 4-year college owes $15,000, about the same as the $15,000 owed by continuing-generation borrowers. Repayment is slower, though. 59.6% of first-gen borrowers have reduced their balance three years into repayment, versus 65.5%.
Which colleges have the most first-generation students?
Among large 4-year colleges (5,000+ undergraduates), California State University-Los Angeles has the highest first-generation share at 61.5%. By sector, for-profit colleges (52.5%) and 2-year community colleges (48.5%) enroll the highest shares.
Which state has the most first-generation college students?
California has the highest share, with first-generation students making up 48.8% of aid applicants at the median 2-year or 4-year college. Rhode Island has the lowest at 19.7%.
Which colleges graduate first-generation students at the highest rates?
Among 4-year colleges where at least 30% of students are first-generation, Stanford University has the highest first-gen six-year completion rate at 89.7%. See the full top 25 list above.
Data sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard institution data via the Scorecard API (first-generation share, Title IV completion and withdrawal by first-generation status, median debt, and 3-year repayment; latest release)
- RTI International for FirstGen Forward (NASPA), First-generation College Students in 2020 fact sheet (National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, NPSAS:20)