ECC Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Elgin Community College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Are students coming back to ECC after their first year? Are ECC students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.

• ECC Retention Rate
• ECC Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• ECC Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

ECC Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 73% students making it past their freshmen year, ECC 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.

ECC Graduation Rates

There were approximately 919 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

39% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 32% in six years, and 34% in eight years.

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 ECC graduation rate 32%.

ECC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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ECC Drop Out Rate

Approximately 1873 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 1873 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 800 transferred to another institution.

• ECC lost contact with the remaining 1026 who we assumed dropped out.

ECC Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.

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

How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?

First-Time / Full-Time ECC Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Elgin Community College represent 42% of the students in the class of 2015, and 55.82% of ECC bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 39%, first-time students in the ECC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the ECC graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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.

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

First-Time / Full-Time ECC Drop Out Rates

662 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 320 transferred to another institution.

• ECC lost contact with the remaining 322 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Elgin Community College represent 30.59% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 22%, first-time, part-time students in the ECC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 24%.

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.

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

First-Time / Part-Time ECC Drop Out Rates

654 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 18 are still enrolled.

• 181 transferred to another institution.

• ECC lost contact with the remaining 455 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

324 ECC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 11.44% 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 34%, 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 35%.

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.

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

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

212 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 2 are still enrolled.

• 133 transferred to another institution.

• ECC lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

451 ECC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 15.93% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 23%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 24%.

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.

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

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

345 non first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 7 are still enrolled.

• 166 transferred to another institution.

• ECC lost contact with the remaining 172 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics