by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Iowa Lakes 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 Iowa Lakes Community College. 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, Iowa Lakes 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 Iowa, the average is 68.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Iowa Lakes Community College | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
How many of the estimated 278 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 41% 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 Iowa Lakes Community College graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 267 | 40% |
| Six Years | 278 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 1 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 395 | 59% |
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 395 students or 59% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 395 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
242 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Lakes Community College lost contact with the remaining 151 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 242 | 61.3% |
| Dropped Out | 151 | 38.2% |
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.
The majority of students at Iowa Lakes Community College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Iowa Lakes Community College represent 57.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Lakes Community College graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 59% 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 | Iowa Lakes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 57% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 59% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 47.82% |
159 first-time / full-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
93 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Lakes Community College lost contact with the remaining 66 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 93 | 58.49% |
| Dropped Out | 66 | 41.51% |
First-time / part-time students at Iowa Lakes Community College represent 11.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Lakes Community College graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 11% 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 | Iowa Lakes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 23.72% |
68 first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Lakes Community College lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 20 | 29.41% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 69.12% |
Returning / full-time students at Iowa Lakes Community College represent 11.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Lakes Community College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Iowa Lakes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
47 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
19 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Lakes Community College lost contact with the remaining 27 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.13% |
| Transferred | 19 | 40.43% |
| Dropped Out | 27 | 57.45% |
Returning / part-time students at Iowa Lakes Community College represent 19.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Lakes Community College graduation rate was 8%, and by the eight year mark, 8% 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 | Iowa Lakes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 8% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 8% | 37.80% |
121 non first-time / part-time students or 92% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
110 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Lakes Community College lost contact with the remaining 11 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 110 | 90.91% |
| Dropped Out | 11 | 9.09% |
