by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Kalamazoo Valley Community College 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 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Kalamazoo Valley 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
Of the 590 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 16% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 21% 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 Kalamazoo Valley Community College graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 484 | 16% |
| Six Years | 590 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 51 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2400 | 79% |
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 2400 students or 79% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2400 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
908 transferred to another institution.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 1411 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 908 | 37.8% |
| Dropped Out | 1411 | 58.8% |
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 Kalamazoo Valley 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 Kalamazoo Valley Community College represent 28.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kalamazoo Valley Community College graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
583 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
207 transferred to another institution.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 356 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 3.43% |
| Transferred | 207 | 35.51% |
| Dropped Out | 356 | 61.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Kalamazoo Valley Community College represent 32.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kalamazoo Valley Community College graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
853 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
188 transferred to another institution.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 634 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 3.63% |
| Transferred | 188 | 22.04% |
| Dropped Out | 634 | 74.33% |
Returning / full-time students at Kalamazoo Valley Community College represent 14.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kalamazoo Valley Community College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 21% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 55.07% |
329 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
180 transferred to another institution.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 140 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.74% |
| Transferred | 180 | 54.71% |
| Dropped Out | 140 | 42.55% |
Returning / part-time students at Kalamazoo Valley Community College represent 24.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kalamazoo Valley Community College graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
635 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
333 transferred to another institution.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 281 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 3.31% |
| Transferred | 333 | 52.44% |
| Dropped Out | 281 | 44.25% |
