College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

Carleton Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

89% 4-Year Graduation Rate
94% 6-Year Graduation Rate
94% Retention Rate

Carleton College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many Carleton first-year students return for their second year? How many graduate and how long does it take them? On this page we'll explore Carleton retention rates, graduation rates, drop out rates and more.

Carleton Retention Rate

94% Freshmen Retention Rate
Good Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 94% students making it past their freshmen year, Carleton has freshmen retention rates above the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.

Carleton Retention  94 out of 100
0%
100%
Minnesota Retention  67 out of 100
0%
100%
undefined
Retention Rate
Carleton94%
Nationwide70.57%
Minnesota67.05%

Carleton Graduation Rates

94% 6-Year Graduation Rate
3.95% Transfer Rate
1.69% Dropout Rate

Of the 497 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?

Four years after beginning their degree, 89% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 94% of the students had graduated and after eight years 94% of this class completed their degree.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official Carleton graduation rate 94%.

The average length of time it takes an Carleton undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.05 years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  89%
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  94%
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  94%
0%
100%

Carleton Graduation Rates vs. National Average

undefined

undefined

Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years46989%
Six Years49794%
Eight Years10%
Did Not Complete306%
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.
Request More Info About Carleton College
Request More Info About Carleton College >

Carleton Drop Out Rate

Approximately 30 students or 6% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 30 students who did not complete their degree?

undefined
Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.0%
Transferred2170.0%
Dropped Out930.0%

Carleton Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

undefined
Race/EthnicityGraduation Rate
American Indian or Alaskan Native100%
Asian90%
Black / African-American71%
Hispanic89%
International96%
Multi-Ethnic95%
Unknown100%
White96%

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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.

The majority of students at Carleton are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.

First-Time / Full-Time Carleton Graduation Rates

98% First-Time, Full-Time
94% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Carleton College represent 98% of the students in the class of 2015, and 97.79% of Carleton bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 89%, first-time students in the Carleton class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the Carleton graduation rate was 94%, and by the eight year mark, 94% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  89 out of 100
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  94 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  94 out of 100
0%
100%

Carleton First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

undefined
First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsCarletonNationwide
Four Years89%37.92%
Six Years94%46.43%
Eight Years94%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time Carleton Drop Out Rates

29 first-time / full-time students or 6% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

undefined
First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred2068.97%
Dropped Out931.03%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Carleton first-time, part-time students.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

2% Returning, Full-Time
92% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

12 Carleton students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 2.26% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 92%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 92%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  92 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  92 out of 100
0%
100%

Carleton Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

undefined
Returning / Full-Time CompletionsCarletonNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years92%53.83%
Eight Years92%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Carleton Drop Out Rates

1 non first-time / part-time students or 8% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

undefined
First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred1100.00%
Dropped Out00.00%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Carleton returning, part-time students.

More Resources:

References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options