by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many DCTC 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 DCTC. 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 74% students making it past their freshmen year, DCTC 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 Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| DCTC | 74% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Minnesota | 67.05% |
There were approximately 582 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 51% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 52% of the students had graduated and after eight years 53% 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 DCTC graduation rate 52%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 567 | 51% |
| Six Years | 582 | 52% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 523 | 47% |
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 523 students or 47% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 523 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
191 transferred to another institution.
DCTC lost contact with the remaining 328 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 191 | 36.5% |
| Dropped Out | 328 | 62.7% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at DCTC 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 Dakota County Technical College represent 33.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCTC graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | DCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 57% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 58% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
158 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
58 transferred to another institution.
DCTC lost contact with the remaining 98 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 58 | 36.71% |
| Dropped Out | 98 | 62.03% |
First-time / part-time students at Dakota County Technical College represent 13.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCTC graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | DCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
107 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
DCTC lost contact with the remaining 81 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 26 | 24.30% |
| Dropped Out | 81 | 75.70% |
Returning / full-time students at Dakota County Technical College represent 30.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCTC graduation rate was 61%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | DCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 61% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 55.07% |
131 non first-time / part-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
57 transferred to another institution.
DCTC lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 57 | 43.51% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 56.49% |
Returning / part-time students at Dakota County Technical College represent 21.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCTC graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | DCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 37.80% |
127 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
50 transferred to another institution.
DCTC lost contact with the remaining 75 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.57% |
| Transferred | 50 | 39.37% |
| Dropped Out | 75 | 59.06% |
