by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CNCC 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 CNCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
How many of the estimated 185 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 41% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% 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 CNCC graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 177 | 41% |
| Six Years | 185 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 1 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 244 | 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 244 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 244 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
118 transferred to another institution.
CNCC lost contact with the remaining 125 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 118 | 48.4% |
| Dropped Out | 125 | 51.2% |
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 CNCC 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 Colorado Northwestern Community College represent 37.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNCC 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 | CNCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
89 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
37 transferred to another institution.
CNCC lost contact with the remaining 52 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 37 | 41.57% |
| Dropped Out | 52 | 58.43% |
First-time / part-time students at Colorado Northwestern Community College represent 10.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | CNCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
34 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
10 transferred to another institution.
CNCC lost contact with the remaining 24 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 10 | 29.41% |
| Dropped Out | 24 | 70.59% |
Returning / full-time students at Colorado Northwestern Community College represent 29.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNCC graduation rate was 63%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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 | CNCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 63% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 55.07% |
47 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
CNCC lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 26 | 55.32% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 44.68% |
Returning / part-time students at Colorado Northwestern Community College represent 21.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CNCC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | CNCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
74 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
45 transferred to another institution.
CNCC lost contact with the remaining 28 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 45 | 60.81% |
| Dropped Out | 28 | 37.84% |
