by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Oglala Lakota 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 62% students making it past their freshmen year, Oglala Lakota College 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 South Dakota, the average is 75.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota College | 62% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Dakota | 75.05% |
How many of the estimated 48 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 11% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 16% of the students had graduated and after eight years 20% 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 Oglala Lakota College graduation rate 16%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32 | 11% |
| Six Years | 48 | 16% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 4% |
| Did Not Complete | 237 | 80% |
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 237 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 237 students who did not complete their degree?
5 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
Oglala Lakota College lost contact with the remaining 192 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.1% |
| Transferred | 23 | 9.7% |
| Dropped Out | 192 | 81.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 12% |
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 Oglala Lakota 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 Oglala Lakota College represent 41.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oglala Lakota College graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Oglala Lakota College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 12% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 47.82% |
104 first-time / full-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
14 transferred to another institution.
Oglala Lakota College lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 10.58% |
| Transferred | 14 | 13.46% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 75.96% |
First-time / part-time students at Oglala Lakota College represent 21.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oglala Lakota College graduation rate was 9%, 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 | Oglala Lakota College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 9% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
51 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
Oglala Lakota College lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 7.84% |
| Transferred | 5 | 9.80% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 82.35% |
Returning / full-time students at Oglala Lakota College represent 24.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oglala Lakota College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Oglala Lakota College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
51 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Oglala Lakota College lost contact with the remaining 43 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 11.76% |
| Transferred | 2 | 3.92% |
| Dropped Out | 43 | 84.31% |
Returning / part-time students at Oglala Lakota College represent 12.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oglala Lakota College graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Oglala Lakota College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
31 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
Oglala Lakota College lost contact with the remaining 28 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 3.23% |
| Transferred | 2 | 6.45% |
| Dropped Out | 28 | 90.32% |
