Janice Lozano
The university graduation rate of US students is influenced by a variety of factors, including the type of institution, program length, and student demographics. While the average college graduation rate in the US in 2023 was 62.2%higher or lower rates. For example, Western International University in Arizona has a six-year graduation rate of just 2% for bachelor's degree programs, while OSU Oklahoma City has a graduation rate of 22%. The graduation rates also vary across different population groups, with American Indian/Alaska Native males being the least likely to graduate with a degree of any kind, and white females being the most likely.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Factors affecting graduation rates
The graduation rate of US students varies depending on numerous factors, including the type of degree sought, the university attended, and the demographic characteristics of the student body.
Degree Type
Bachelor's degree seekers are more likely to graduate than associate's degree seekers. In 2022, 2,015,040 graduates earned bachelor's degrees, compared to 1,008,290 graduates with associate's degrees. Additionally, students who enrol as teenagers are more likely to graduate within five years, while graduation rates among older students tend to decline.
University Factors
The university attended plays a significant role in graduation rates. For instance, East Georgia State College, a two-year public institution, has one of the lowest graduation rates in the US at 6%. Similarly, the College of Southern Nevada, a large community college serving non-traditional and part-time students, has a low graduation rate of 9%. On the other hand, universities with higher graduation rates, such as those ranked by US News, have a proportion of students who graduate in four years.
Demographic Characteristics
Demographic factors, such as race and ethnicity, also influence graduation rates. White females are the most likely to graduate with a degree of any kind. In contrast, American Indian/Alaska Native males are the least likely to graduate, with a five-year graduation rate of 43.4%. Additionally, Asian and Pacific Islander students have higher five-year graduation rates of 74.8%.
Financial Considerations
Financial considerations can significantly impact graduation rates. Colleges with low graduation rates often face financial constraints, and their students may struggle with the cost of education. Additionally, taking additional semesters to earn a degree can increase tuition and fees, affecting a student's ability to graduate.
Social and Emotional Needs
The ability of universities to meet the educational, social, and emotional needs of students is crucial. Students may leave an institution due to dissatisfaction with the academic environment or incongruence with campus values. Universities must diversify their enrollment and better prepare students to live and work in a diverse democracy.
International Students Thriving at Kansas State University
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Graduation rates by gender
Women are more likely to graduate from US universities than men. In 2021, the graduation rate for women was 89.1% compared to 82.9% for men. In 16 states, women had a college graduation rate of 70% or higher, while men achieved this in only two states. Overall, women comprised 58% of all college students in 2020, up from 56.6% six years earlier.
The gender gap in college graduation rates is larger in some states than some racial/ethnic differences in graduation rates. In Florida, for example, the women's graduation rate was 10 percentage points higher than men's, while the difference in graduation rates between white and Hispanic students was only 2 percentage points. In Kentucky, the women vs. men graduation difference was 8.4 percentage points, almost twice the difference in rates for white and Hispanic students (4.6 percentage points).
The growing gender gap in higher education has been a topic of conversation and debate in recent years. Young women are more likely to be enrolled in college today than young men, and among those ages 25 and older, women are more likely than men to have a four-year college degree. The gap in college completion is even wider among younger adults ages 25 to 34.
While the reasons for the gender gap are complex, some studies have shown that men are more likely than women to drop out of college because they don't see the value in a college education or don't feel they need a degree for their desired job or career. For example, 39% of White men who didn't complete college said they didn't want to, compared to 27% of White women. Similarly, 30% of White men said they didn't need a degree for their desired career, compared to only 24% of White women.
In terms of degree type, women earned the majority of post-secondary degrees at every level in 2021-2022, accounting for 62.8% of associate degrees, 58.5% of bachelor's degrees, 61.4% of master's degrees, and 53.6% of doctorate degrees. However, men are more likely to graduate with degrees in certain fields, such as computer and information sciences and engineering.
University Students Need Entertainment for Well-being
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Graduation rates by race/ethnicity
The United States of America ranks 10th in college graduation rates worldwide. The total number of graduates has increased annually by 1.0% over the last decade. In 2022, 4.11 million, or 22.1% of all college students, graduated. Of these, 1,008,290 earned associate's degrees, 2,015,040 earned bachelor's degrees, 880,250 earned master's degrees, and 203,880 earned doctorates or professional degrees.
Asian and Pacific Islander students had the highest high school graduation rates of any racial or ethnic group in 2014, at 89%. They were also the most likely group to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and graduate from a four-year college within six years. Asian students also have the highest five-year graduation rate for bachelor's programs at 74.8%.
White students had the second-highest high school graduation rates in 2014, at 88%. The six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began pursuing a bachelor's degree at a four-year degree-granting institution in 2010 was 64% for White students. White females are the most likely to graduate with a degree of any kind.
Students of two or more races had a six-year graduation rate of 60% for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began pursuing a bachelor's degree at a four-year degree-granting institution in 2010.
Hispanic students had a six-year graduation rate of 54% for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began pursuing a bachelor's degree at a four-year degree-granting institution in 2010. In 2020, 13% of Hispanic students who enrolled in four-year colleges in 2014 had graduated.
Pacific Islander students had a five-year graduation rate of 51% for bachelor's programs. The gender gap in graduation rates was narrowest among Pacific Islander students, with 53% for females and 52% for males.
Black students had the lowest high school graduation rates, with less than three-quarters of students starting high school in 2010 and graduating by 2014. In 2020, 14% of Black students who enrolled in four-year colleges in 2014 had graduated. Black students had a six-year graduation rate of 40% for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began pursuing a bachelor's degree at a four-year degree-granting institution in 2010.
American Indian/Alaska Native students in bachelor's programs have a five-year graduation rate of 43.4%. They are the least likely to graduate with a degree of any kind.
WCU: Student Health Services Available?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Graduation rates by institution type
The graduation rate of US students depends on several factors, including the type of institution, program length, state, and student groups. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC) reported a 62.2% college graduation rate in 2023 for all schools. This is slightly higher than the 60% average reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for four-year colleges from 2008 to 2021.
Among four-year institutions, for-profit schools have the lowest graduation rates. At two-year colleges, private institutions (both nonprofit and for-profit) have higher graduation rates than public institutions. Public two-year schools, or community colleges, tend to have lower graduation rates than four-year schools.
The graduation rate also varies by student demographics. For instance, American Indian/Alaska Native males are the least likely to graduate with a degree of any kind, while White females are the most likely. Asian and Pacific Islander students in bachelor's programs have a higher five-year graduation rate of 74.8% compared to American Indian/Alaska Native students, who have a rate of 43.4%.
Additionally, the type of degree sought impacts graduation rates. Bachelor’s degree seekers are more likely to graduate than associate’s degree seekers. In 2022, there was a decline in the number of graduates earning associate’s degrees (down 2.72% from 2021) and bachelor’s degrees (down 2.49% from 2021).
Australian Students: Avoid Plagiarism, Acknowledge Sources
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Graduation rates by state
The graduation rates of US students vary across states. The average graduation rate across 49 US states and Washington, D.C. was 79% for the 2021-2022 academic year, up two percentage points from the year prior. The graduation rates for these states and D.C. ranged from an average of nearly 73% to 92%. Virginia had the highest graduation rate in the country, with 92% of students graduating in 2022. West Virginia was close behind at 91%.
Some states have significantly lower averages. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the average high school graduation rate in Washington, D.C. was nearly 73%, the lowest of any state. Other states with lower graduation rates, under 78%, include New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska. California had the biggest decline in graduation rates from the previous year, dropping by 2.8 percentage points.
On the other hand, some states have graduation rates of 90% and above. In addition to Virginia and West Virginia, Iowa and New Jersey have high graduation rates of 91% each. Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming also have high graduation rates of 90%.
At the county level, St. Louis, Missouri, has a 93% graduation rate. Allegheny, Pennsylvania, has the highest graduation rate among extra-large counties at 95%. Douglas, Colorado, leads among large counties with a rate of 98%, while Park, Colorado, tops the mid-sized counties with the same rate. Falls Church City in Virginia has the highest small county graduation rate at 99%.
The graduation rates are influenced by various factors, such as income, disabilities, race, and ethnicity. The adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) is a measure used to calculate the percentage of students graduating within four years of starting 9th grade. The ACGR for the 2021-2022 school year was 75% for Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools and 74% for Puerto Rico.
International Students: Welcome to US Universities?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The college graduation rate in the US was 62.2% in 2023. This is calculated based on first-time, full-time students who complete their degree within a specified timeframe. For a four-year program, the standard timeframe is six years, and for a two-year program, it's three years.
In 2023, about 66% of female students and 58% of male students graduated from college. Women have graduated at higher rates than men over the past decade.
Asian and Pacific Islander students in bachelor's programs have a 5-year graduation rate of 74.8%. American Indian/Alaska Native students in bachelor's programs have a 5-year graduation rate of 43.4%.
