by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many LSC 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 LSC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, LSC 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 Minnesota, the average is 67.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| LSC | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Minnesota | 67.05% |
Of the 608 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 37% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 40% of the students had graduated and after eight years 42% 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 LSC graduation rate 40%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 568 | 37% |
| Six Years | 608 | 40% |
| Eight Years | 27 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 882 | 58% |
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 882 students or 58% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 882 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
325 transferred to another institution.
LSC lost contact with the remaining 547 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 325 | 36.8% |
| Dropped Out | 547 | 62.0% |
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 LSC 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 Lake Superior College represent 35.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LSC graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | LSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
307 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
92 transferred to another institution.
LSC lost contact with the remaining 212 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.98% |
| Transferred | 92 | 29.97% |
| Dropped Out | 212 | 69.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Lake Superior College represent 19.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LSC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | LSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
207 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
66 transferred to another institution.
LSC lost contact with the remaining 138 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.45% |
| Transferred | 66 | 31.88% |
| Dropped Out | 138 | 66.67% |
Returning / full-time students at Lake Superior College represent 22.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LSC graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | LSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 48% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 55.07% |
170 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
70 transferred to another institution.
LSC lost contact with the remaining 99 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.59% |
| Transferred | 70 | 41.18% |
| Dropped Out | 99 | 58.24% |
Returning / part-time students at Lake Superior College represent 23.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LSC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | LSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
198 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
97 transferred to another institution.
LSC lost contact with the remaining 98 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.52% |
| Transferred | 97 | 48.99% |
| Dropped Out | 98 | 49.49% |
