Oh, looks like some research has very recently come out on this. http://www.cgsnet.org/study-finds-completion-rates-stem-master’s-programs-are-rising-trail-tho

Oh, looks like some research has very recently come out on this. http://www.cgsnet.org/study-finds-completion-rates-stem-master’s-programs-are-rising-trail-those-mba-programs http://www.cgsnet.org/study-finds-completion-rates-stem-mast... This was part of a study done by the council for graduate schools that recognized that attrition rates from MS programs were understudied compared to undergrad or PhD rates. The full study is behind a pay wall, but still some interesting data. STEM MS degrees appear to be completed within 4 years about 2/3 of the time - though that number drops to the low 40s within 2 years. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can draw from this. MS programs aren't nearly as regulated as Law or Med school or PhD programs which tend to be offered only by very academically serious schools. Also, one of the big reasons for failing to finish a MS, according to the article, was work. So many students pursuing a MS are already employed in the field - something you can't do without a professional degree. Still, dropout rates were much higher than for MBA programs, so this data clearly means something. It would be more interesting to know the attrition rates for MS students in STEM who are more like professional students at top colleges. In other words, what is the attrition rate for MS students who are enrolled full time at a top college. Maybe these answers are behind the pay wall :(