by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Eastern Iowa Community Colleges 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 Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 59% students making it past their freshmen year, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges 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 Iowa, the average is 68.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Eastern Iowa Community Colleges | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
How many of the estimated 528 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 34% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 Eastern Iowa Community Colleges graduation rate 34%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 475 | 31% |
| Six Years | 528 | 34% |
| Eight Years | 15 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 994 | 65% |
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 994 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 994 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
368 transferred to another institution.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges lost contact with the remaining 601 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 368 | 37.0% |
| Dropped Out | 601 | 60.5% |
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 Eastern Iowa Community Colleges 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 Eastern Iowa Community College District represent 39.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Eastern Iowa Community Colleges | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
333 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
96 transferred to another institution.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges lost contact with the remaining 225 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 3.60% |
| Transferred | 96 | 28.83% |
| Dropped Out | 225 | 67.57% |
First-time / part-time students at Eastern Iowa Community College District represent 24.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | Eastern Iowa Community Colleges | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
279 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
76 transferred to another institution.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges lost contact with the remaining 194 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 3.23% |
| Transferred | 76 | 27.24% |
| Dropped Out | 194 | 69.53% |
Returning / full-time students at Eastern Iowa Community College District represent 12.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Eastern Iowa Community Colleges | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
129 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges lost contact with the remaining 76 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 52 | 40.31% |
| Dropped Out | 76 | 58.91% |
Returning / part-time students at Eastern Iowa Community College District represent 23.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Eastern Iowa Community Colleges | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
253 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
144 transferred to another institution.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges lost contact with the remaining 106 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 144 | 56.92% |
| Dropped Out | 106 | 41.90% |
