by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Southern State 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Southern State Community 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 Ohio, the average is 69.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southern State Community College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Ohio | 69.84% |
How many of the estimated 207 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 Southern State Community College graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 196 | 24% |
| Six Years | 207 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 594 | 74% |
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 594 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 594 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
247 transferred to another institution.
Southern State Community College lost contact with the remaining 339 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 247 | 41.6% |
| Dropped Out | 339 | 57.1% |
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 Southern State Community 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 Southern State Community College represent 37.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern State Community 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 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Southern State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 29% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
213 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
87 transferred to another institution.
Southern State Community College lost contact with the remaining 121 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.35% |
| Transferred | 87 | 40.85% |
| Dropped Out | 121 | 56.81% |
First-time / part-time students at Southern State Community College represent 29.70% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern State Community College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Southern State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
188 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
Southern State Community College lost contact with the remaining 123 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.06% |
| Transferred | 63 | 33.51% |
| Dropped Out | 123 | 65.43% |
Returning / full-time students at Southern State Community College represent 13.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern State Community College 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 | Southern State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 33% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 55.07% |
75 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
Southern State Community College lost contact with the remaining 45 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 30 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 45 | 60.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Southern State Community College represent 18.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern State Community College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Southern State Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
118 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
67 transferred to another institution.
Southern State Community College lost contact with the remaining 50 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.85% |
| Transferred | 67 | 56.78% |
| Dropped Out | 50 | 42.37% |
