New National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data show student staying power improved in multiple measures. For students who first enrolled in fall 2024, 85.8% returned in spring for a second semester, and 77.1% returned for fall 2025—each reported as among the highest levels in the past decade. The report also highlights gains for key groups. Hispanic students posted nine-year highs across first-year persistence and retention outcomes, while Black students reached their highest rates in a decade for the second fall semester. Native American, multiracial, and part-time students also recorded improvements, even as racial and ethnic gaps remain. For colleges, these movement-in-momentum indicators offer a clearer baseline for designing retention interventions—especially for students most sensitive to course availability and affordability constraints.