by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Flathead Valley 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 Flathead Valley Community College. 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 63% students making it past their freshmen year, Flathead Valley 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 Montana, the average is 66.19%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Flathead Valley Community College | 63% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Montana | 66.19% |
There were approximately 253 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, 32% of the students had graduated and after eight years 33% 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 Flathead Valley Community College graduation rate 32%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 233 | 29% |
| Six Years | 253 | 32% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 533 | 67% |
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 533 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 533 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
173 transferred to another institution.
Flathead Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 346 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 173 | 32.5% |
| Dropped Out | 346 | 64.9% |
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 Flathead Valley Community College 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 Flathead Valley Community College represent 43.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Flathead Valley Community College graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | Flathead Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 37% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
218 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
Flathead Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 139 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.67% |
| Transferred | 71 | 32.57% |
| Dropped Out | 139 | 63.76% |
First-time / part-time students at Flathead Valley Community College represent 25.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Flathead Valley Community College graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Flathead Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
161 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
48 transferred to another institution.
Flathead Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.86% |
| Transferred | 48 | 29.81% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 68.32% |
Returning / full-time students at Flathead Valley Community College represent 15.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Flathead Valley Community College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | Flathead Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
73 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
Flathead Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.37% |
| Transferred | 30 | 41.10% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 57.53% |
Returning / part-time students at Flathead Valley Community College represent 15.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Flathead Valley Community College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Flathead Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 37.80% |
81 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Flathead Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.47% |
| Transferred | 24 | 29.63% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 67.90% |
