by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Central Lakes 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.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, Central Lakes College has freshmen retention rates near 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%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Central Lakes College | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Minnesota | 67.05% |
There were approximately 431 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 39% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Central Lakes College graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 403 | 39% |
| Six Years | 431 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 13 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 598 | 57% |
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 598 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 598 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
214 transferred to another institution.
Central Lakes College lost contact with the remaining 377 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 214 | 35.8% |
| Dropped Out | 377 | 63.0% |
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 Central Lakes College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Central Lakes College-Brainerd represent 50.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Lakes College graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Central Lakes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
287 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
93 transferred to another institution.
Central Lakes College lost contact with the remaining 189 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.74% |
| Transferred | 93 | 32.40% |
| Dropped Out | 189 | 65.85% |
First-time / part-time students at Central Lakes College-Brainerd represent 22.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Lakes College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | Central Lakes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 29% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
160 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
48 transferred to another institution.
Central Lakes College lost contact with the remaining 111 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.62% |
| Transferred | 48 | 30.00% |
| Dropped Out | 111 | 69.38% |
Returning / full-time students at Central Lakes College-Brainerd represent 15.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Lakes College graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Central Lakes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
71 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
29 transferred to another institution.
Central Lakes College lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 29 | 40.85% |
| Dropped Out | 41 | 57.75% |
Returning / part-time students at Central Lakes College-Brainerd represent 11.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Lakes College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Central Lakes College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 34% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
80 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
44 transferred to another institution.
Central Lakes College lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 44 | 55.00% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 45.00% |
