by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Heartland 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 Heartland 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 74% students making it past their freshmen year, Heartland Community 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 | |
|---|---|
| Heartland Community College | 74% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
Of the 593 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 Heartland Community College graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 553 | 26% |
| Six Years | 593 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 19 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1506 | 71% |
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 1506 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1506 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
981 transferred to another institution.
Heartland Community College lost contact with the remaining 505 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 981 | 65.1% |
| Dropped Out | 505 | 33.5% |
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 Heartland Community 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 Heartland Community College represent 31.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Heartland Community College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Heartland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
380 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
152 transferred to another institution.
Heartland Community College lost contact with the remaining 216 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 3.16% |
| Transferred | 152 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 216 | 56.84% |
First-time / part-time students at Heartland Community College represent 11.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Heartland Community College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Heartland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
195 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
86 transferred to another institution.
Heartland Community College lost contact with the remaining 106 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.54% |
| Transferred | 86 | 44.10% |
| Dropped Out | 106 | 54.36% |
Returning / full-time students at Heartland Community College represent 20.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Heartland Community College graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | Heartland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 40% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 55.07% |
260 non first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
Heartland Community College lost contact with the remaining 87 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.38% |
| Transferred | 172 | 66.15% |
| Dropped Out | 87 | 33.46% |
Returning / part-time students at Heartland Community College represent 35.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Heartland Community College graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 11% 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 | Heartland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 10% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 37.80% |
671 non first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
571 transferred to another institution.
Heartland Community College lost contact with the remaining 96 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.60% |
| Transferred | 571 | 85.10% |
| Dropped Out | 96 | 14.31% |
