by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Iowa Western 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 Western Community College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 57% students making it past their freshmen year, Iowa Western 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 Western Community College | 57% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
How many of the estimated 760 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% 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 Iowa Western Community College graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 719 | 31% |
| Six Years | 760 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 1554 | 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 1554 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1554 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
699 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 849 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 699 | 45.0% |
| Dropped Out | 849 | 54.6% |
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 Iowa Western 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 Iowa Western Community College represent 49.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Western Community College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 34% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
763 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
309 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 453 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.13% |
| Transferred | 309 | 40.50% |
| Dropped Out | 453 | 59.37% |
First-time / part-time students at Iowa Western Community College represent 10.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Western Community College graduation rate was 23%, 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 | Iowa Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
183 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
59 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 122 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.09% |
| Transferred | 59 | 32.24% |
| Dropped Out | 122 | 66.67% |
Returning / full-time students at Iowa Western Community College represent 28.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Western 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 | Iowa Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
403 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.
223 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.25% |
| Transferred | 223 | 55.33% |
| Dropped Out | 179 | 44.42% |
Returning / part-time students at Iowa Western Community College represent 11.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Iowa Western 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Iowa Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 37.80% |
205 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
Iowa Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 95 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.98% |
| Transferred | 108 | 52.68% |
| Dropped Out | 95 | 46.34% |
