by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Drake State retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree 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 51% students making it past their freshmen year, Drake State 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 Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Drake State | 51% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
There were approximately 95 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 22% of the students had graduated and after eight years 23% 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 Drake State graduation rate 22%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 86 | 20% |
| Six Years | 95 | 22% |
| Eight Years | 4 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 341 | 77% |
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 341 students or 77% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 341 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
70 transferred to another institution.
Drake State lost contact with the remaining 267 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 70 | 20.5% |
| Dropped Out | 267 | 78.3% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Drake State are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College represent 37.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Drake State graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Drake State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 16% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 47.82% |
137 first-time / full-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
Drake State lost contact with the remaining 108 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.73% |
| Transferred | 28 | 20.44% |
| Dropped Out | 108 | 78.83% |
First-time / part-time students at J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College represent 24.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Drake State 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Drake State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 23.72% |
94 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.
16 transferred to another institution.
Drake State lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.06% |
| Transferred | 16 | 17.02% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 81.91% |
Returning / full-time students at J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College represent 16.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Drake State graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Drake State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
48 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
10 transferred to another institution.
Drake State lost contact with the remaining 38 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 10 | 20.83% |
| Dropped Out | 38 | 79.17% |
Returning / part-time students at J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College represent 21.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Drake State graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Drake State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 31% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 37.80% |
62 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
Drake State lost contact with the remaining 44 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 3.23% |
| Transferred | 16 | 25.81% |
| Dropped Out | 44 | 70.97% |
