by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Lees - McRae 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 69% students making it past their freshmen year, Lees - McRae College has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Lees - McRae College | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 239 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 56% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 60% of the students had graduated and after eight years 61% 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 Lees - McRae College graduation rate 60%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 224 | 56% |
| Six Years | 239 | 60% |
| Eight Years | 2 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 157 | 39% |
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 157 students or 39% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 157 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
91 transferred to another institution.
Lees - McRae College lost contact with the remaining 66 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 91 | 58.0% |
| Dropped Out | 66 | 42.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Black / African-American | 15% |
| Hispanic | 45% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 17% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 46% |
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 Lees - McRae College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Lees-McRae College represent 49.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lees - McRae College graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Lees - McRae College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 46% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
105 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
Lees - McRae College lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 63 | 60.00% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 40.00% |
First-time / part-time students at Lees-McRae College represent 0.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lees - McRae College graduation rate was 0%, and by the eight year mark, 0% 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 | Lees - McRae College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 0% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 0% | 23.72% |
2 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Lees - McRae College lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 50.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Lees-McRae College represent 47.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lees - McRae College graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 75% 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 | Lees - McRae College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 74% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 55.07% |
47 non first-time / part-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
Lees - McRae College lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 26 | 55.32% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 44.68% |
Returning / part-time students at Lees-McRae College represent 3.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Lees - McRae College graduation rate was 77%, and by the eight year mark, 77% 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 | Lees - McRae College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 77% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 77% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 77% | 37.80% |
3 non first-time / part-time students or 23% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Lees - McRae College lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 2 | 66.67% |
