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DCTC Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

33% 4-Year Graduation Rate
40% 6-Year Graduation Rate
68% Retention Rate

Dakota County Technical College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How long does it take to earn a degree at DCTC? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.

DCTC Retention Rate

68% Freshmen Retention Rate
Below Average Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 68% students making it past their freshmen year, DCTC has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.

DCTC Retention  68 out of 100
0%
100%
Minnesota Retention  67 out of 100
0%
100%
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Retention Rate
DCTC68%
Nationwide70.57%
Minnesota67.05%
Low retention rates may be a signal that a lot of students plan on transferring after a year or two. Is that the case here?

DCTC Graduation Rates

40% 6-Year Graduation Rate
21.89% Transfer Rate
36.94% Dropout Rate

How many of the estimated 594 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

33% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 40% in six years, and 41% in eight years.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official DCTC graduation rate 40%.

Four Year Graduation Rate  38%
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  40%
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  41%
0%
100%

DCTC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years55938%
Six Years59440%
Eight Years141%
Did Not Complete88159%
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.
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DCTC Drop Out Rate

Approximately 881 students or 59% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 881 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.0%
Transferred32637.0%
Dropped Out55062.4%

DCTC Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 DCTC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

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 DCTC Graduation Rates

29% First-Time, Full-Time
35% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Dakota County Technical College represent 29% of the students in the class of 2015, and 25.42% of DCTC bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 33%, first-time students in the DCTC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the DCTC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  33 out of 100
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100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  35 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  36 out of 100
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100%

DCTC First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsDCTCNationwide
Four Years33%37.92%
Six Years35%46.43%
Eight Years36%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time DCTC Drop Out Rates

275 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred9634.91%
Dropped Out17764.36%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

15% First-Time, Part-Time
31% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / part-time students at Dakota County Technical College represent 14.51% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 31%, first-time, part-time students in the DCTC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 32%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  31 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  32 out of 100
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100%

First-Time / Part-Time DCTC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsDCTCNationwide
Four Years27%14.37%
Six Years31%21.59%
Eight Years32%23.72%

First-Time / Part-Time DCTC Drop Out Rates

147 first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred4731.97%
Dropped Out10068.03%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

31% Returning, Full-Time
48% 6-Year Grad Rate
Average Grad Rate

459 DCTC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 30.83% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 48%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 48%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  48 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  48 out of 100
0%
100%

DCTC Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsDCTCNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years48%53.83%
Eight Years48%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time DCTC Drop Out Rates

239 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled31.26%
Transferred9841.00%
Dropped Out13857.74%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

26% Returning, Part-Time
41% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

385 DCTC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 25.86% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 41%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 43%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  41 out of 100
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  43 out of 100
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100%

DCTC Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsDCTCNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years41%36.03%
Eight Years43%37.80%

Non First-Time / Part-Time DCTC Drop Out Rates

220 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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Returning / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred8538.64%
Dropped Out13561.36%

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