University graduate retention in NB: What’s new in the 2023 cohort update?
Author: DataNB
Posted on Mar 4, 2026
Category: DataNB
The latest update in DataNB’s Graduate Retention in New Brunswick series offers a detailed look at whether university graduates choose to stay in the province after completing their studies.
The 2023 graduating class from the province’s four publicly funded universities was larger than the year before, and about seven in ten graduates were still living in the province one year later — resulting in the highest number of students who stayed, and the second highest retention rate, in the 2010-2023 period.
One of the most notable trends is the continued growth in international enrolment. International graduates made up one quarter of the 2023 class, and more than half remained in New Brunswick after one year. Graduates originally from New Brunswick continued to have the highest retention, with nearly 94% staying in the province.
Retention also varied across fields and institutions. Nursing graduates once again had the highest one year retention, and Saint Thomas University recorded the highest overall retention among the four universities in 2023.