by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Columbia State Community College 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 State Community College. 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 55% students making it past their freshmen year, Columbia State Community 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Columbia State Community College | 55% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
There were approximately 675 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 31% 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 State Community College graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 630 | 29% |
| Six Years | 675 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 18 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 1509 | 69% |
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 1509 students or 69% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1509 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
529 transferred to another institution.
Columbia State Community College lost contact with the remaining 956 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 529 | 35.1% |
| Dropped Out | 956 | 63.4% |
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.
The majority of students at Columbia State Community 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 Columbia State Community College represent 57.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia State Community College graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 47.82% |
819 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
259 transferred to another institution.
Columbia State Community College lost contact with the remaining 545 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.83% |
| Transferred | 259 | 31.62% |
| Dropped Out | 545 | 66.54% |
First-time / part-time students at Columbia State Community College represent 16.94% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia State Community College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
289 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
Columbia State Community College lost contact with the remaining 214 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.38% |
| Transferred | 71 | 24.57% |
| Dropped Out | 214 | 74.05% |
Returning / full-time students at Columbia State Community College represent 9.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia State Community College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
135 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
77 transferred to another institution.
Columbia State Community College lost contact with the remaining 58 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 77 | 57.04% |
| Dropped Out | 58 | 42.96% |
Returning / part-time students at Columbia State Community College represent 15.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia State Community College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 37.80% |
266 non first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
122 transferred to another institution.
Columbia State Community College lost contact with the remaining 139 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.88% |
| Transferred | 122 | 45.86% |
| Dropped Out | 139 | 52.26% |
