by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Lee 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 73% students making it past their freshmen year, Lee 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Lee College | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
Of the 3612 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 50% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 53% of the students had graduated and after eight years 55% 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 Lee College graduation rate 53%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3359 | 50% |
| Six Years | 3612 | 53% |
| Eight Years | 110 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 3052 | 45% |
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 3052 students or 45% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3052 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
660 transferred to another institution.
Lee College lost contact with the remaining 1136 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 660 | 21.6% |
| Dropped Out | 1136 | 37.2% |
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 Lee College 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 Lee College represent 46.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lee College graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | Lee College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 62% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 67% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
969 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
620 are still enrolled.
119 transferred to another institution.
Lee College lost contact with the remaining 230 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 620 | 63.98% |
| Transferred | 119 | 12.28% |
| Dropped Out | 230 | 23.74% |
First-time / part-time students at Lee College represent 25.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lee College graduation rate was 30%, 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 | Lee College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 30% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
1174 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
561 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
Lee College lost contact with the remaining 504 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 561 | 47.79% |
| Transferred | 109 | 9.28% |
| Dropped Out | 504 | 42.93% |
Returning / full-time students at Lee College represent 13.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lee College graduation rate was 71%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Lee College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 71% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 55.07% |
256 non first-time / part-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
28 are still enrolled.
126 transferred to another institution.
Lee College lost contact with the remaining 102 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 28 | 10.94% |
| Transferred | 126 | 49.22% |
| Dropped Out | 102 | 39.84% |
Returning / part-time students at Lee College represent 14.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lee College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Lee College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 31% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
653 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
47 are still enrolled.
306 transferred to another institution.
Lee College lost contact with the remaining 300 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 47 | 7.20% |
| Transferred | 306 | 46.86% |
| Dropped Out | 300 | 45.94% |
