Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Higher education graduation rates
From Ballotpedia
| Higher education |
|---|
 |
| Tuition statistics |
| Financial aid statistics |
| Retention rates |
| Graduation rates |
| Higher education funding |
|
This article is outside of Ballotpedia's coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
College graduation rates vary significantly according to the type of postsecondary institution. In 2013, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education:[1]
- Of four-year public college students, 57.6 percent graduated within six years.
- Of two-year public college students, 19.4 percent graduated within three years.
- Of private, nonprofit four-year college students, 65.4 percent graduated within six years.
- Of private, for-profit four-year college students, 33.2 percent graduated within six years.
- Of private, for-profit two-year college students, 63.1 percent graduated within three years.
Although postsecondary schools are classified as four-year and two-year institutions, relatively few students actually complete degrees within these time frames. At four-year schools, students commonly take between four and six years to complete their degrees. Likewise, students at two-year institutions commonly take three years to complete their degrees. To illustrate this point, the table below contains information on average four-year and six-year completion rates in the United States. Within the table are also figures for college completion at two-year institutions.[2]
Graduation rates by state
2013
The table below provides graduation rates by state in 2013.
| Graduation rates by state, 2013 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Four-year institutions | Two-year institutions | ||||||
| Completion within four years | Completion within six years | Completion within three years | ||||||
| Public | Private nonprofit | Private for-profit | Public | Private nonprofit | Private for-profit | Public | Private for-profit | |
| Alabama | 25.9% | 28.6% | 18.7% | 49.5% | 44.0% | 22.7% | 15.6% | 38.8% |
| Alaska | 10.4% | 25.0% | 21.9% | 30.6% | 40.0% | 21.9% | 27.0% | N/A |
| Arizona | 37.2% | 34.1% | 8.3% | 58.4% | 55.0% | 17.1% | 13.8% | 66.5% |
| Arkansas | 20.6% | 39.4% | 0.3% | 39.7% | 53.2% | 15.4% | 21.4% | 46.0% |
| California | 33.6% | 61.3% | 13.5% | 64.0% | 73.9% | 27.1% | 26.2% | 67.5% |
| Colorado | 30.3% | 56.2% | 22.6% | 53.6% | 66.4% | 28.3% | 20.8% | 60.2% |
| Connecticut | 40.8% | 66.9% | 27.7% | 63.4% | 74.1% | 36.8% | 12.1% | N/A |
| Delaware | 59.3% | 19.9% | 0.0% | 73.6% | 29.6% | 0.0% | 14.4% | N/A |
| Florida | 38.7% | 41.5% | 54.5% | 64.4% | 54.5% | 58.6% | 30.4% | 65.1% |
| Georgia | 27.6% | 44.0% | 9.8% | 54.5% | 57.0% | 19.8% | 19.0% | 52.4% |
| Hawaii | 16.3% | 22.4% | 0.6% | 51.8% | 40.0% | 21.8% | 14.5% | 45.7% |
| Idaho | 15.7% | 27.6% | 1.1% | 41.4% | 54.6% | 14.3% | 18.1% | 66.3% |
| Illinois | 40.0% | 53.3% | 21.9% | 61.8% | 65.2% | 27.0% | 21.7% | 53.1% |
| Indiana | 32.6% | 57.5% | 23.9% | 55.2% | 68.2% | 29.3% | 8.8% | 53.0% |
| Iowa | 41.5% | 52.4% | 11.4% | 68.4% | 62.0% | 23.8% | 25.1% | 43.2% |
| Kansas | 27.6% | 34.8% | 0.0% | 54.6% | 48.2% | 0.0% | 30.6% | 58.9% |
| Kentucky | 24.2% | 38.1% | 7.8% | 48.9% | 50.6% | 13.7% | 23.0% | 43.3% |
| Louisiana | 20.2% | 45.1% | 5.4% | 44.7% | 60.8% | 8.1% | 18.2% | 64.6% |
| Maine | 28.3% | 60.4% | 0.0% | 47.8% | 68.5% | 0.0% | 21.8% | 36.7% |
| Maryland | 39.9% | 65.8% | 6.4% | 60.8% | 73.3% | 16.7% | 14.5% | 61.3% |
| Massachusetts | 38.2% | 62.3% | 20.3% | 58.3% | 75.5% | 27.6% | 15.9% | 44.2% |
| Michigan | 34.3% | 38.0% | 5.1% | 62.0% | 58.3% | 16.2% | 12.6% | N/A |
| Minnesota | 34.2% | 62.6% | 27.2% | 58.6% | 72.6% | 35.8% | 25.3% | 66.3% |
| Mississippi | 26.4% | 33.6% | N/A | 49.8% | 47.1% | N/A | 24.2% | 34.0% |
| Missouri | 32.3% | 46.1% | 8.2% | 55.2% | 59.7% | 18.0% | 18.7% | 64.2% |
| Montana | 20.7% | 36.2% | N/A | 45.6% | 51.0% | N/A | 25.3% | N/A |
| Nebraska | 25.7% | 48.5% | 25.0% | 56.2% | 61.5% | 25.0% | 27.0% | 40.2% |
| Nevada | 14.9% | 37.3% | 9.6% | 45.8% | 55.2% | 26.5% | 21.0% | 58.0% |
| New Hampshire | 55.3% | 60.9% | 30.2% | 70.1% | 67.9% | 43.0% | 21.0% | N/A |
| New Jersey | 42.2% | 49.6% | 20.2% | 67.2% | 64.8% | 26.5% | 16.3% | 67.5% |
| New Mexico | 14.4% | 32.3% | 6.6% | 41.7% | 41.9% | 26.5% | 13.0% | 69.0% |
| New York | 38.7% | 55.1% | 32.0% | 59.2% | 68.2% | 50.7% | 20.6% | 36.7% |
| North Carolina | 37.5% | 49.2% | 11.3% | 61.2% | 58.5% | 22.6% | 17.6% | 68.0% |
| North Dakota | 23.3% | 29.8% | 14.3% | 50.3% | 48.5% | 14.3% | 40.9% | N/A |
| Ohio | 31.9% | 51.0% | 0.0% | 54.6% | 64.1% | 23.3% | 12.1% | 56.7% |
| Oklahoma | 22.8% | 38.5% | 1.9% | 46.2% | 52.2% | 16.7% | 16.5% | 61.8% |
| Oregon | 30.3% | 58.6% | 10.1% | 55.5% | 67.5% | 25.5% | 16.1% | 71.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 41.6% | 60.8% | 21.7% | 62.9% | 71.4% | 29.5% | 14.3% | 62.3% |
| Rhode Island | 34.1% | 65.1% | N/A | 58.0% | 73.8% | N/A | 12.6% | N/A |
| South Carolina | 41.7% | 37.4% | 47.8% | 60.6% | 48.4% | 57.5% | 11.9% | 73.1% |
| South Dakota | 23.8% | 40.8% | 7.3% | 50.5% | 53.5% | 10.9% | 51.2% | N/A |
| Tennessee | 20.8% | 46.5% | 9.7% | 47.9% | 59.3% | 19.3% | 13.5% | 66.2% |
| Texas | 27.6% | 44.1% | 9.1% | 51.7% | 59.7% | 22.1% | 13.6% | 67.0% |
| Utah | 20.6% | 34.2% | 23.1% | 47.1% | 71.1% | 32.2% | 23.2% | 60.6% |
| Vermont | 52.5% | 59.6% | 10.3% | 65.3% | 66.3% | 25.6% | 11.1% | N/A |
| Virginia | 51.6% | 43.6% | 18.3% | 70.5% | 56.2% | 24.5% | 22.0% | 66.6% |
| Washington | 44.1% | 57.8% | 25.8% | 68.1% | 70.8% | 37.3% | 28.8% | 67.8% |
| West Virginia | 24.7% | 37.9% | 7.2% | 45.6% | 50.6% | 7.2% | 11.8% | 51.9% |
| Wisconsin | 28.7% | 47.5% | 10.1% | 59.3% | 63.9% | 24.9% | 29.1% | 79.8% |
| Wyoming | 24.1% | N/A | N/A | 54.1% | N/A | N/A | 29.3% | 76.8% |
| United States | 33.3% | 52.8% | 23.3% | 57.6% | 65.4% | 33.2% | 19.4% | 63.1% |
| Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Graduation rates by state" | ||||||||
2010
The table below provides graduation rates by state in 2010.
| Graduation rates by state, 2010 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Four-year institutions | Two-year institutions | ||||||
| Completion within four years | Completion within six years | Completion within three years | ||||||
| Public four-year colleges | Private nonprofit four-year colleges | Private for-profit four-year colleges | Public four-year colleges | Private nonprofit four-year colleges | Private for-profit four-year colleges | Public two-year colleges | Private for-profit two-year colleges | |
| Alabama | 22.9% | 20.9% | 24.5% | 47.5% | 45% | 36.6% | 19.1% | 59.1% |
| Alaska | 8.2% | 22.4% | 72.7% | 26.6% | 26.5% | 72.7% | 31% | N/A |
| Arizona | 31.9% | 31.7% | 9.6% | 57.1% | 56.9% | 15.1% | 16.3% | 63% |
| Arkansas | 19.7% | 39.9% | 4.4% | 38.7% | 56.5% | 8.8% | 22.2% | 44.9% |
| California | 34.8% | 60.8% | 20.1% | 65.1% | 72.9% | 28.4% | 25.3% | 65% |
| Colorado | 31.5% | 55.9% | 23.1% | 53.3% | 69.7% | 29% | 20.8% | 57.1% |
| Connecticut | 40.6% | 68% | 21.3% | 61.5% | 75.2% | 30% | 10.5% | 42.9% |
| Delaware | 54.8% | 21% | N/A | 70.8% | 36.3% | N/A | 12.5% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | 2.4% | 68.2% | 2.6% | 7.7% | 77.2% | 10.5% | N/A | N/A |
| Florida | 35.4% | 38.1% | 29.7% | 61.4% | 52.7% | 38.4% | 38.2% | 61.7% |
| Georgia | 24% | 46.1% | 13.1% | 51.6% | 58.6% | 20.3% | 25.1% | 54% |
| Hawaii | 16.3% | 23.7% | 17.3% | 47.3% | 43% | 25.5% | 14.5% | 34.5% |
| Idaho | 14% | 30.1% | 4.2% | 37.8% | 54% | 15.3% | 20.2% | 71.7% |
| Illinois | 40.2% | 52.2% | 21.3% | 62.5% | 65.7% | 26.8% | 19.4% | 58.4% |
| Indiana | 27.8% | 58.3% | 26.7% | 49.7% | 69.3% | 33% | 8.7% | 48.6% |
| Iowa | 39.6% | 53% | 27.5% | 69.4% | 62.3% | 36.8% | 33% | 81.6% |
| Kansas | 26.2% | 31.4% | 0% | 54.3% | 44.1% | 0% | 30.3% | 54.3% |
| Kentucky | 22.1% | 39.4% | 0% | 46.6% | 51.7% | 10.3% | 23.9% | 54.4% |
| Louisiana | 15.5% | 41.1% | 2.1% | 38.8% | 52.8% | 14.7% | 15.6% | 59.9% |
| Maine | 28.9% | 62.1% | N/A | 48.5% | 68.6% | N/A | 26.7% | 24% |
| Maryland | 43.2% | 65.5% | 1.7% | 62.3% | 73.5% | 9.5% | 13.8% | 58.3% |
| Massachusetts | 35.4% | 62.5% | 24.6% | 56.4% | 75.7% | 32.2% | 16.4% | 59.2% |
| Michigan | 32.8% | 38% | 2.4% | 60.7% | 56.7% | 11.4% | 14.9% | N/A |
| Minnesota | 30.6% | 60.8% | 21.5% | 56.4% | 71.8% | 27.9% | 26.3% | 71.6% |
| Mississippi | 26% | 34.9% | N/A | 49.9% | 48.4% | N/A | 25.2% | 45.2% |
| Missouri | 29.6% | 47.9% | 5.2% | 54.5% | 59.6% | 10.7% | 20.7% | 64.9% |
| Montana | 18% | 37.2% | N/A | 42.7% | 50.6% | N/A | 30.8% | N/A |
| Nebraska | 23.2% | 49.4% | 0% | 55.7% | 61.9% | 0% | 30.9% | 73% |
| Nevada | 13.5% | 29.2% | 9.1% | 43.6% | 33.8% | 20% | 16.7% | 52.4% |
| New Hampshire | 46.6% | 58.8% | 15.1% | 65.4% | 66.9% | 26.9% | 26.3% | N/A |
| New Jersey | 40.1% | 47.8% | 20.3% | 66.5% | 63.4% | 25.2% | 17.1% | 84.1% |
| New Mexico | 11.9% | 42.6% | 21.1% | 40.6% | 59.9% | 38.9% | 14.8% | 62.8% |
| New York | 37.8% | 55.8% | 43.1% | 58.1% | 68.6% | 51.5% | 19.6% | 34.8% |
| North Carolina | 35.1% | 47.6% | 0.8% | 59.1% | 57.9% | 12.6% | 20.3% | 68.8% |
| North Dakota | 20.9% | 31.6% | N/A | 48.1% | 44.8% | N/A | 38.8% | N/A |
| Ohio | 30.3% | 51% | 17.3% | 52.9% | 64.2% | 22.7% | 13.3% | 52.5% |
| Oklahoma | 21.5% | 35.4% | 12% | 45.4% | 50.7% | 21% | 17.3% | 69.5% |
| Oregon | 29.8% | 59.8% | 17.2% | 54.2% | 69.1% | 29.6% | 13.7% | 62.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 39.7% | 60.5% | 25.8% | 62.1% | 72.8% | 32.5% | 13.9% | 61.2% |
| Rhode Island | 34.1% | 63.8% | N/A | 57.8% | 72.9% | N/A | 9.3% | N/A |
| South Carolina | 38.8% | 39.4% | 48.6% | 59.1% | 50.4% | 60.2% | 11.5% | 71.4% |
| South Dakota | 20.4% | 37.7% | 12.6% | 46.7% | 53.6% | 27% | 52.9% | N/A |
| Tennessee | 19.7% | 46.5% | 4.9% | 45.5% | 58.3% | 14.3% | 11.3% | 58.4% |
| Texas | 24.4% | 41.5% | 9.9% | 49% | 57.9% | 18.2% | 13.1% | 59.3% |
| Utah | 20% | 27.2% | 31.9% | 46.9% | 65.2% | 40.6% | 35.6% | 72% |
| Vermont | 46.1% | 59.9% | N/A | 62.9% | 67.3% | N/A | 15.6% | N/A |
| Virginia | 49.1% | 42.9% | 24.5% | 68.4% | 54.9% | 34.2% | 18.2% | 56.8% |
| Washington | 41.1% | 56.5% | 26.4% | 68.9% | 71.6% | 37.2% | 25.8% | 57.5% |
| West Virginia | 24.7% | 39.8% | 32.3% | 47.4% | 51.4% | 53.5% | 10.3% | 55.8% |
| Wisconsin | 27.4% | 47.7% | 8.7% | 60.4% | 64.2% | 17% | 31.3% | 41.1% |
| Wyoming | 22.5% | N/A | N/A | 53% | N/A | N/A | 30.4% | 79.2% |
| U.S. averages | 31.30% | 52.50% | 20.30% | 56% | 65.5% | 28.2% | 20.4% | 60.1% |
| Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, "College Completion: Who graduates from college, who doesn't, and why it matters," accessed December 15, 2014 | ||||||||
See also
- Higher education by state
- Higher education tuition statistics
- Higher education enrollment statistics
- Higher education financial aid statistics
- Higher education retention rates
- Higher education funding
Footnotes
