by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Polk State 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.
There were approximately 1045 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 30% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% 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 Polk State graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 945 | 30% |
| Six Years | 1045 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 40 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2052 | 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 2052 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2052 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
856 transferred to another institution.
Polk State lost contact with the remaining 1159 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 856 | 41.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1159 | 56.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 55% |
| Black / African-American | 19% |
| Hispanic | 33% |
| International | 30% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 45% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 38% |
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 Polk State 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 Polk State College represent 29.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Polk State graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Polk State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
546 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
240 transferred to another institution.
Polk State lost contact with the remaining 295 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.01% |
| Transferred | 240 | 43.96% |
| Dropped Out | 295 | 54.03% |
First-time / part-time students at Polk State College represent 32.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Polk State graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Polk State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
813 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
281 transferred to another institution.
Polk State lost contact with the remaining 514 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 2.21% |
| Transferred | 281 | 34.56% |
| Dropped Out | 514 | 63.22% |
Returning / full-time students at Polk State College represent 11.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Polk State graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | Polk State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 55.07% |
180 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
102 transferred to another institution.
Polk State lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.56% |
| Transferred | 102 | 56.67% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 42.78% |
Returning / part-time students at Polk State College represent 25.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Polk State graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Polk State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 35% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 37.80% |
513 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
233 transferred to another institution.
Polk State lost contact with the remaining 273 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.36% |
| Transferred | 233 | 45.42% |
| Dropped Out | 273 | 53.22% |
