by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Kennedy-King 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 50% students making it past their freshmen year, Kennedy-King 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 | |
|---|---|
| Kennedy-King College | 50% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 328 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 27% 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 Kennedy-King College graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 319 | 25% |
| Six Years | 328 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 918 | 73% |
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 918 students or 73% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 918 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
310 transferred to another institution.
Kennedy-King College lost contact with the remaining 602 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 310 | 33.8% |
| Dropped Out | 602 | 65.6% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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 Kennedy-King College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 students at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College represent 42.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kennedy-King College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Kennedy-King College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 30% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
374 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
Kennedy-King College lost contact with the remaining 265 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.27% |
| Transferred | 108 | 28.88% |
| Dropped Out | 265 | 70.86% |
First-time / part-time students at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College represent 18.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kennedy-King College graduation rate was 5%, and by the eight year mark, 6% 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 | Kennedy-King College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 5% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 6% | 23.72% |
213 first-time / part-time students or 94% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
56 transferred to another institution.
Kennedy-King College lost contact with the remaining 154 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 56 | 26.29% |
| Dropped Out | 154 | 72.30% |
Returning / full-time students at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College represent 28.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kennedy-King College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | Kennedy-King College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 55.07% |
212 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
92 transferred to another institution.
Kennedy-King College lost contact with the remaining 118 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.94% |
| Transferred | 92 | 43.40% |
| Dropped Out | 118 | 55.66% |
Returning / part-time students at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College represent 10.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kennedy-King College graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 12% 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 | Kennedy-King College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 11% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 37.80% |
119 non first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
54 transferred to another institution.
Kennedy-King College lost contact with the remaining 65 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 54 | 45.38% |
| Dropped Out | 65 | 54.62% |
