by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SKYCTC 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, SKYCTC 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 Kentucky, the average is 67.55%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SKYCTC | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kentucky | 67.55% |
There were approximately 387 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 41% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 SKYCTC graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 369 | 41% |
| Six Years | 387 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 13 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 495 | 55% |
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 495 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 495 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
101 transferred to another institution.
SKYCTC lost contact with the remaining 386 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 101 | 20.4% |
| Dropped Out | 386 | 78.0% |
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 SKYCTC 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 Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College represent 32.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SKYCTC graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | SKYCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 46% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
151 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
SKYCTC lost contact with the remaining 128 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.32% |
| Transferred | 21 | 13.91% |
| Dropped Out | 128 | 84.77% |
First-time / part-time students at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College represent 26.34% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SKYCTC graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | SKYCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 31% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
159 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
SKYCTC lost contact with the remaining 130 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.89% |
| Transferred | 26 | 16.35% |
| Dropped Out | 130 | 81.76% |
Returning / full-time students at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College represent 21.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SKYCTC graduation rate was 57%, and by the eight year mark, 59% 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 | SKYCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 57% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 55.07% |
80 non first-time / part-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
SKYCTC lost contact with the remaining 50 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.50% |
| Transferred | 28 | 35.00% |
| Dropped Out | 50 | 62.50% |
Returning / part-time students at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College represent 19.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SKYCTC graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | SKYCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 38% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 38% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 37.80% |
105 non first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
SKYCTC lost contact with the remaining 78 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.95% |
| Transferred | 26 | 24.76% |
| Dropped Out | 78 | 74.29% |
