by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Washtenaw 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, Washtenaw 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Washtenaw Community College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
There were approximately 1318 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 27% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 33% 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 Washtenaw Community College graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1144 | 27% |
| Six Years | 1318 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 74 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2888 | 67% |
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 2888 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2888 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1213 transferred to another institution.
Washtenaw Community College lost contact with the remaining 1609 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1213 | 42.0% |
| Dropped Out | 1609 | 55.7% |
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 Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw Community College represent 17.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Washtenaw Community College graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | Washtenaw Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
433 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
187 transferred to another institution.
Washtenaw Community College lost contact with the remaining 237 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 187 | 43.19% |
| Dropped Out | 237 | 54.73% |
First-time / part-time students at Washtenaw Community College represent 32.04% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Washtenaw Community College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Washtenaw Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
1024 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
32 are still enrolled.
265 transferred to another institution.
Washtenaw Community College lost contact with the remaining 727 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 32 | 3.12% |
| Transferred | 265 | 25.88% |
| Dropped Out | 727 | 71.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Washtenaw Community College represent 13.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Washtenaw Community College 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Washtenaw Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 40% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
342 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
194 transferred to another institution.
Washtenaw Community College lost contact with the remaining 138 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.92% |
| Transferred | 194 | 56.73% |
| Dropped Out | 138 | 40.35% |
Returning / part-time students at Washtenaw Community College represent 36.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Washtenaw 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Washtenaw Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
1089 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
567 transferred to another institution.
Washtenaw Community College lost contact with the remaining 507 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.38% |
| Transferred | 567 | 52.07% |
| Dropped Out | 507 | 46.56% |
