by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Columbia College Missouri 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 Columbia College Missouri. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 75% students making it past their freshmen year, Columbia College Missouri 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Columbia College Missouri | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
Of the 1654 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 34% of the students had graduated and after eight years 36% 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 Columbia College Missouri graduation rate 34%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1410 | 29% |
| Six Years | 1654 | 34% |
| Eight Years | 75 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 3133 | 64% |
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 3133 students or 64% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3133 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1237 transferred to another institution.
Columbia College Missouri lost contact with the remaining 1851 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1237 | 39.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1851 | 59.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 31% |
| Hispanic | 42% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 43% |
| Unknown | 75% |
| White | 48% |
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 Columbia College Missouri 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 Columbia College represent 9.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia College Missouri graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | Columbia College Missouri | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
263 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
105 transferred to another institution.
Columbia College Missouri lost contact with the remaining 145 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 4.94% |
| Transferred | 105 | 39.92% |
| Dropped Out | 145 | 55.13% |
First-time / part-time students at Columbia College represent 14.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia College Missouri graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Columbia College Missouri | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
599 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
268 transferred to another institution.
Columbia College Missouri lost contact with the remaining 325 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.00% |
| Transferred | 268 | 44.74% |
| Dropped Out | 325 | 54.26% |
Returning / full-time students at Columbia College represent 26.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia College Missouri graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | Columbia College Missouri | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 55.07% |
627 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
290 transferred to another institution.
Columbia College Missouri lost contact with the remaining 334 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.48% |
| Transferred | 290 | 46.25% |
| Dropped Out | 334 | 53.27% |
Returning / part-time students at Columbia College represent 48.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia College Missouri 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Columbia College Missouri | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
1644 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
23 are still enrolled.
574 transferred to another institution.
Columbia College Missouri lost contact with the remaining 1047 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 23 | 1.40% |
| Transferred | 574 | 34.91% |
| Dropped Out | 1047 | 63.69% |
