by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Oakton Community 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, Oakton Community 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Oakton Community College | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 507 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 13% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 15% of the students had graduated and after eight years 15% 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 Oakton Community College graduation rate 15%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 444 | 13% |
| Six Years | 507 | 15% |
| Eight Years | 26 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 2911 | 85% |
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 2911 students or 85% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2911 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2113 transferred to another institution.
Oakton Community College lost contact with the remaining 777 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2113 | 72.6% |
| Dropped Out | 777 | 26.7% |
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 Oakton Community College 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 Oakton College represent 16.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakton Community College graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Oakton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 47.82% |
392 first-time / full-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
242 transferred to another institution.
Oakton Community College lost contact with the remaining 144 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.53% |
| Transferred | 242 | 61.73% |
| Dropped Out | 144 | 36.73% |
First-time / part-time students at Oakton College represent 19.34% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakton Community College graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 20% 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 | Oakton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
533 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
266 transferred to another institution.
Oakton Community College lost contact with the remaining 259 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.50% |
| Transferred | 266 | 49.91% |
| Dropped Out | 259 | 48.59% |
Returning / full-time students at Oakton College represent 10.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakton Community College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Oakton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 22% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 55.07% |
272 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
208 transferred to another institution.
Oakton Community College lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.37% |
| Transferred | 208 | 76.47% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 23.16% |
Returning / part-time students at Oakton College represent 53.54% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakton Community College graduation rate was 7%, and by the eight year mark, 7% 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 | Oakton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 7% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 7% | 37.80% |
1714 non first-time / part-time students or 93% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
1397 transferred to another institution.
Oakton Community College lost contact with the remaining 311 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.35% |
| Transferred | 1397 | 81.51% |
| Dropped Out | 311 | 18.14% |
