by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Carl Sandburg College retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 63% students making it past their freshmen year, Carl Sandburg College has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Carl Sandburg College | 63% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 410 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 50% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 52% of the students had graduated and after eight years 53% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Carl Sandburg College graduation rate 52%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 395 | 50% |
| Six Years | 410 | 52% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 370 | 47% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 370 students or 47% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 370 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
157 transferred to another institution.
Carl Sandburg College lost contact with the remaining 205 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 157 | 42.4% |
| Dropped Out | 205 | 55.4% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Carl Sandburg College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Carl Sandburg College represent 43.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Carl Sandburg College graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 48% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Carl Sandburg College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 47.82% |
180 first-time / full-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
70 transferred to another institution.
Carl Sandburg College lost contact with the remaining 107 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.67% |
| Transferred | 70 | 38.89% |
| Dropped Out | 107 | 59.44% |
First-time / part-time students at Carl Sandburg College represent 15.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Carl Sandburg College graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 20% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Carl Sandburg College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
98 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
38 transferred to another institution.
Carl Sandburg College lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 4.08% |
| Transferred | 38 | 38.78% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 57.14% |
Returning / full-time students at Carl Sandburg College represent 24.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Carl Sandburg College graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 74% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Carl Sandburg College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 74% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 74% | 55.07% |
50 non first-time / part-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
29 transferred to another institution.
Carl Sandburg College lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 29 | 58.00% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 42.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Carl Sandburg College represent 16.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Carl Sandburg College graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 67% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Carl Sandburg College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 65% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 67% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 37.80% |
42 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
Carl Sandburg College lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.38% |
| Transferred | 20 | 47.62% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 50.00% |
