In 2011, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that, in the 24 to 54 age range, the United States ranked thirty-fourth among all for individuals with a postsecondary credential. For the United States to increase in rank, adult students, who are projected to increase by 1.9 million in postsecondary enrollment by 2021, must obtain a degree. The purpose of this study was to determine leading indicators from first-term academic behaviors and outcomes for term-to-term and year-to-year persistence as well as degree completion of undergraduate adult students at four-year traditional institutions. Using a statewide data set, a number of factors directly contributed to student persistence and degree completion. First-term credit ratio can provide institutions and policymakers a metric to gauge adult degree completion and information regarding for whom to provide intervention strategies to increase persistence.