by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CVTC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at CVTC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, CVTC 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 Wisconsin, the average is 74.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CVTC | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Wisconsin | 74.47% |
There were approximately 712 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 51% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 54% of the students had graduated and after eight years 55% 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 CVTC graduation rate 54%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 669 | 51% |
| Six Years | 712 | 54% |
| Eight Years | 13 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 595 | 45% |
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 595 students or 45% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 595 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
CVTC lost contact with the remaining 471 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 109 | 18.3% |
| Dropped Out | 471 | 79.2% |
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 CVTC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Chippewa Valley Technical College represent 51.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CVTC graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | CVTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 54% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 56% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 47.82% |
290 first-time / full-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
CVTC lost contact with the remaining 211 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.76% |
| Transferred | 71 | 24.48% |
| Dropped Out | 211 | 72.76% |
First-time / part-time students at Chippewa Valley Technical College represent 30.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CVTC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | CVTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 42% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 23.72% |
231 first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
CVTC lost contact with the remaining 197 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.60% |
| Transferred | 28 | 12.12% |
| Dropped Out | 197 | 85.28% |
Returning / full-time students at Chippewa Valley Technical College represent 7.19% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CVTC graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 68% 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 | CVTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 68% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
30 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
CVTC lost contact with the remaining 26 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 13.33% |
| Dropped Out | 26 | 86.67% |
Returning / part-time students at Chippewa Valley Technical College represent 10.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CVTC graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 68% 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 | CVTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 66% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 68% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 37.80% |
44 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
CVTC lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.27% |
| Transferred | 6 | 13.64% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 84.09% |
