2026 College Rankings

Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference

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Continental Athletic Conference

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First-year retention rates measure the percentage of first-year students who come back to campus for a second year. This is an indicator of how happy students are generally with their decision to attend that institution as less students decide to drop out or transfer to another school.

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Rank	Institution	First Year Retention Rate	Acceptance Rate	SAT Score	Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price	Median Starting Salary	Save
1	College of the Ozarks	90	11.99	1,050 – 1,220	12279	36507	#1 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO Thanks to a student work program and donations, students don’t have to pay tuition to attend the College of the Ozarks. It has a 14 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio and 90% first year retention rate. CofO is extremely selective and out of those accepted, 81% decided to attend. First Year Retention Rate 90 % 2.3% Acceptance Rate 12.0% SAT Score 1,050 – 1,220 Avg. Net Price $12,279 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $36,507
2	Florida National University-Main Campus	77	99.81	--	23629	29347	#2 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Florida National University-Main Campus Hialeah, FL Located in Hialeah, Florida National University-Main Campus accepted 100% students who applied to the school in the last admissions cycle and requires unknown for undergraduate applications and . About 44% of attending students currently receive institutional grant aid to make attending college more affordable....Read more First Year Retention Rate 77 % 24.2% Acceptance Rate 99.8% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $23,629 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $29,347
3	Wilberforce University	74	52.73	840 – 940	8222	35146	#3 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Wilberforce University Wilberforce, OH Based in Wilberforce, Wilberforce University accepts 53% of applicants and requires $25 for undergraduate applications and $40 for graduate applications. Approximately 79% of students at Wilberforce University will receive grant aid from the school. 74% of students continued their studies at Wilberforce University after......Read more First Year Retention Rate 74 % Acceptance Rate 52.7% SAT Score 840 – 940 Avg. Net Price $8,222 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $35,146
4	University of the Virgin Islands	69	98.98	810 – 1,040	7632	32360	#4 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference University of the Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie, VI Found in Charlotte Amalie, the University of the Virgin Islands accepted 99% students who applied to the school in the last admissions cycle. Undergraduates have to send in $25 to apply. Approximately 64% of students at the University of the Virgin Islands currently receive institutional grant aid. At the University of the......Read more First Year Retention Rate 69 % 9.2% Acceptance Rate 99.0% SAT Score 810 – 1,040 Avg. Net Price $7,632 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $32,360
5	Washington Adventist University	69	45.36	830 – 1,070	16732	40114	#5 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Washington Adventist University Takoma Park, MD Found in Takoma Park, Washington Adventist University accepts 45% of applicants and charges $25 for undergraduate applications. Approximately 98% of attending students will receive institutional grant aid. The school’s first year retention rate is 69% and its four year graduation rate is 19%. The three most popular majors......Read more First Year Retention Rate 69 % Acceptance Rate 45.4% SAT Score 830 – 1,070 Avg. Net Price $16,732 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $40,114
6	Georgia Gwinnett College	68.79	95.57	850 – 1,040	11037	36756	#6 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA Based in Lawrenceville, Georgia Gwinnett College’s acceptance rate is 96% and requires unknown for undergraduate applications and . Approximately 6% of students attending Georgia Gwinnett College currently receive grant aid from the school....Read more First Year Retention Rate 69 % Acceptance Rate 95.6% SAT Score 850 – 1,040 Avg. Net Price $11,037 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $36,756
7	Fisher College	55	70.75	820 – 1,100	27827	44366	#7 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Fisher College Boston, MA Based in Boston, Fisher College accepts 71% of applicants and requests unknown to apply, but fee waivers may be available. Approximately 97% of students at Fisher College will receive grant aid from the school....Read more First Year Retention Rate 55 % Acceptance Rate 70.8% SAT Score 820 – 1,100 Avg. Net Price $27,827 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $44,366
8	Morris College	55	98.28	--	20397	24250	#8 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Morris College Sumter, SC Based in Sumter, Morris College’s acceptance rate is 98% and charges $20 for undergraduate applications. Approximately 24% of attending students will receive grant aid from the school. They receive $2,315 on average. At Morris College, there is a 55% first year retention rate and a 8% four year graduation rate....Read more First Year Retention Rate 55 % Acceptance Rate 98.3% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $20,397 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $24,250
9	North American University	46	22.7	--	13702	32221	#9 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference North American University Stafford, TX Located in Stafford, North American University accepted 23% students who applied to the school in the last admissions cycle and requires $75 for undergraduate applications and $50 for graduate applications. About 92% of attending students will receive institutional grant aid to make attending college more affordable....Read more First Year Retention Rate 46 % 31.4% Acceptance Rate 22.7% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $13,702 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $32,221
10	Arkansas Baptist College	31	57.74	--	11047	22652	#10 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, AR Based in Little Rock, Arkansas Baptist College accepts 58% of applicants. They charge unknown for undergraduate applications, but fee waivers may be available. Approximately 9% of students attending Arkansas Baptist College currently receive institutional grant aid. At Arkansas Baptist College, there is a 31% first year......Read more First Year Retention Rate 31 % Acceptance Rate 57.7% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $11,047 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $22,652
11	Crowley's Ridge College	0	46.36	--	17266	33362	#11 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Crowley's Ridge College Paragould, AR First Year Retention Rate -- Acceptance Rate 46.4% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $17,266 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $33,362
12	Florida College	0	66.45	930 – 1,200	23885	42430	#12 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Florida College Temple Terrace, FL First Year Retention Rate -- Acceptance Rate 66.5% SAT Score 930 – 1,200 Avg. Net Price $23,885 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $42,430
13	Haskell Indian Nations University	0	88.32	850 – 1,010	4537	28425	#13 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, KS First Year Retention Rate -- Acceptance Rate 88.3% SAT Score 850 – 1,010 Avg. Net Price $4,537 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $28,425
14	Northern New Mexico College	0	75.73	--	6102	34377	#14 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Northern New Mexico College Espanola, NM First Year Retention Rate -- Acceptance Rate 75.7% SAT Score -- Avg. Net Price $6,102 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $34,377
15	Voorhees University	0	81.4	730 – 930	15747	24199	#15 2026 Top Colleges Ranked by First Year Retention Rate – Continental Athletic Conference Voorhees University Denmark, SC First Year Retention Rate -- Acceptance Rate 81.4% SAT Score 730 – 930 Avg. Net Price $15,747 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $24,199