by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding OTC 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 100% students making it past their freshmen year, OTC 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 Missouri, the average is 69.43%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| OTC | 100% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Missouri | 69.43% |
There were approximately 1780 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 OTC graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1582 | 25% |
| Six Years | 1780 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 57 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4471 | 71% |
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 4471 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4471 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1502 transferred to another institution.
OTC lost contact with the remaining 2846 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1502 | 33.6% |
| Dropped Out | 2846 | 63.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 41% |
| Black / African-American | 30% |
| Hawaiian | 17% |
| Hispanic | 20% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 20% |
| Unknown | 24% |
| White | 34% |
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 OTC 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 Ozarks Technical Community College represent 34.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OTC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | OTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
1425 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
37 are still enrolled.
399 transferred to another institution.
OTC lost contact with the remaining 989 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 37 | 2.60% |
| Transferred | 399 | 28.00% |
| Dropped Out | 989 | 69.40% |
First-time / part-time students at Ozarks Technical Community College represent 19.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OTC graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | OTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
1043 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
39 are still enrolled.
219 transferred to another institution.
OTC lost contact with the remaining 785 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 39 | 3.74% |
| Transferred | 219 | 21.00% |
| Dropped Out | 785 | 75.26% |
Returning / full-time students at Ozarks Technical Community College represent 19.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OTC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | OTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 33% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 55.07% |
797 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
392 transferred to another institution.
OTC lost contact with the remaining 388 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 2.13% |
| Transferred | 392 | 49.18% |
| Dropped Out | 388 | 48.68% |
Returning / part-time students at Ozarks Technical Community College represent 27.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OTC 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | OTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
1206 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
30 are still enrolled.
492 transferred to another institution.
OTC lost contact with the remaining 684 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 30 | 2.49% |
| Transferred | 492 | 40.80% |
| Dropped Out | 684 | 56.72% |
