by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Harper 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 Harper 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 77% students making it past their freshmen year, Harper College 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%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Harper College | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 2137 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 39% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Harper College graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1967 | 39% |
| Six Years | 2137 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 69 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2883 | 57% |
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 2883 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2883 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1274 transferred to another institution.
Harper College lost contact with the remaining 1554 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1274 | 44.2% |
| Dropped Out | 1554 | 53.9% |
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 Harper College 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 William Rainey Harper College represent 32.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Harper College graduation rate was 45%, 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 | Harper College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
878 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
430 transferred to another institution.
Harper College lost contact with the remaining 430 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 2.05% |
| Transferred | 430 | 48.97% |
| Dropped Out | 430 | 48.97% |
First-time / part-time students at William Rainey Harper College represent 24.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Harper College graduation rate was 25%, 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 | Harper College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
915 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
282 transferred to another institution.
Harper College lost contact with the remaining 614 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 282 | 30.82% |
| Dropped Out | 614 | 67.10% |
Returning / full-time students at William Rainey Harper College represent 14.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Harper College graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | Harper College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
329 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
190 transferred to another institution.
Harper College lost contact with the remaining 137 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.61% |
| Transferred | 190 | 57.75% |
| Dropped Out | 137 | 41.64% |
Returning / part-time students at William Rainey Harper College represent 28.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Harper College graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | Harper College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
761 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
372 transferred to another institution.
Harper College lost contact with the remaining 373 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 2.10% |
| Transferred | 372 | 48.88% |
| Dropped Out | 373 | 49.01% |
