by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Jeff State 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 Jeff State. 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 59% students making it past their freshmen year, Jeff 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 | |
|---|---|
| Jeff State | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
There were approximately 743 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 16% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 20% of the students had graduated and after eight years 22% 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 Jeff State graduation rate 20%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 584 | 16% |
| Six Years | 743 | 20% |
| Eight Years | 87 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2923 | 78% |
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 2923 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2923 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1124 transferred to another institution.
Jeff State lost contact with the remaining 1742 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1124 | 38.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1742 | 59.6% |
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 Jeff State 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 Jefferson State Community College represent 32.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Jeff State graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | Jeff State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 22% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 47.82% |
883 first-time / full-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
472 transferred to another institution.
Jeff State lost contact with the remaining 389 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 2.49% |
| Transferred | 472 | 53.45% |
| Dropped Out | 389 | 44.05% |
First-time / part-time students at Jefferson State Community College represent 27.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Jeff State graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Jeff State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
866 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
196 transferred to another institution.
Jeff State lost contact with the remaining 646 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 2.77% |
| Transferred | 196 | 22.63% |
| Dropped Out | 646 | 74.60% |
Returning / full-time students at Jefferson State Community College represent 13.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Jeff State graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Jeff State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 24% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 55.07% |
384 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
115 transferred to another institution.
Jeff State lost contact with the remaining 267 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.52% |
| Transferred | 115 | 29.95% |
| Dropped Out | 267 | 69.53% |
Returning / part-time students at Jefferson State Community College represent 26.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Jeff State graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Jeff State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
790 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
341 transferred to another institution.
Jeff State lost contact with the remaining 440 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.14% |
| Transferred | 341 | 43.16% |
| Dropped Out | 440 | 55.70% |
