by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many MCC 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 MCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, MCC 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| MCC | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
There were approximately 875 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 32% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 34% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 MCC graduation rate 34%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 821 | 32% |
| Six Years | 875 | 34% |
| Eight Years | 20 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1650 | 65% |
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 1650 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1650 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
780 transferred to another institution.
MCC lost contact with the remaining 833 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 780 | 47.3% |
| Dropped Out | 833 | 50.5% |
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 MCC 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 McHenry County College represent 29.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MCC graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | MCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
477 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
230 transferred to another institution.
MCC lost contact with the remaining 233 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 230 | 48.22% |
| Dropped Out | 233 | 48.85% |
First-time / part-time students at McHenry County College represent 30.73% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MCC graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | MCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
639 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
240 transferred to another institution.
MCC lost contact with the remaining 384 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.35% |
| Transferred | 240 | 37.56% |
| Dropped Out | 384 | 60.09% |
Returning / full-time students at McHenry County College represent 10.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MCC graduation rate was 56%, and by the eight year mark, 57% 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 | MCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 56% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 57% | 55.07% |
115 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
79 transferred to another institution.
MCC lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 79 | 68.70% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 31.30% |
Returning / part-time students at McHenry County College represent 29.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MCC graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | MCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 43% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 37.80% |
419 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
231 transferred to another institution.
MCC lost contact with the remaining 180 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.91% |
| Transferred | 231 | 55.13% |
| Dropped Out | 180 | 42.96% |
