by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many LCCC 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 LCCC. 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 59% students making it past their freshmen year, LCCC 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| LCCC | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
Of the 637 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 24% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 LCCC graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 541 | 20% |
| Six Years | 637 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 42 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2031 | 75% |
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 2031 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2031 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
784 transferred to another institution.
LCCC lost contact with the remaining 1210 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 784 | 38.6% |
| Dropped Out | 1210 | 59.6% |
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 LCCC 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 Lehigh Carbon Community College represent 42.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LCCC graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | LCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 47.82% |
853 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
324 transferred to another institution.
LCCC lost contact with the remaining 516 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 1.52% |
| Transferred | 324 | 37.98% |
| Dropped Out | 516 | 60.49% |
First-time / part-time students at Lehigh Carbon Community College represent 36.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LCCC graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | LCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
832 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
287 transferred to another institution.
LCCC lost contact with the remaining 529 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 1.92% |
| Transferred | 287 | 34.50% |
| Dropped Out | 529 | 63.58% |
Returning / full-time students at Lehigh Carbon Community College represent 8.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LCCC graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | LCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 55.07% |
134 non first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
77 transferred to another institution.
LCCC lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 77 | 57.46% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 41.04% |
Returning / part-time students at Lehigh Carbon Community College represent 12.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the LCCC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | LCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 37% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 37.80% |
212 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
96 transferred to another institution.
LCCC lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.83% |
| Transferred | 96 | 45.28% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 51.89% |
