by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, Kirkwood Community College has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| Kirkwood Community College | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Iowa | 68.94% |
Of the 1392 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 32% 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 Kirkwood Community College graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1283 | 29% |
| Six Years | 1392 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 52 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3017 | 68% |
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 3017 students or 68% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3017 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1094 transferred to another institution.
Kirkwood Community College lost contact with the remaining 1872 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1094 | 36.3% |
| Dropped Out | 1872 | 62.0% |
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 Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College represent 48.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kirkwood Community College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | Kirkwood Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 39% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 47.82% |
1308 first-time / full-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
464 transferred to another institution.
Kirkwood Community College lost contact with the remaining 829 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.15% |
| Transferred | 464 | 35.47% |
| Dropped Out | 829 | 63.38% |
First-time / part-time students at Kirkwood Community College represent 13.07% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kirkwood 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Kirkwood Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
488 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
123 transferred to another institution.
Kirkwood Community College lost contact with the remaining 354 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.25% |
| Transferred | 123 | 25.20% |
| Dropped Out | 354 | 72.54% |
Returning / full-time students at Kirkwood Community College represent 19.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kirkwood Community College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Kirkwood Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
565 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
251 transferred to another institution.
Kirkwood Community College lost contact with the remaining 304 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.77% |
| Transferred | 251 | 44.42% |
| Dropped Out | 304 | 53.81% |
Returning / part-time students at Kirkwood Community College represent 18.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Kirkwood Community College graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Kirkwood Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 19% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
656 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
256 transferred to another institution.
Kirkwood Community College lost contact with the remaining 385 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.29% |
| Transferred | 256 | 39.02% |
| Dropped Out | 385 | 58.69% |
