by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Waubonsee 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Waubonsee has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Waubonsee | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 861 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 34% 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 Waubonsee graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 752 | 29% |
| Six Years | 861 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 39 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1724 | 66% |
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 1724 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1724 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
684 transferred to another institution.
Waubonsee lost contact with the remaining 1006 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 684 | 39.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1006 | 58.4% |
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 Waubonsee are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Waubonsee Community College represent 43.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Waubonsee graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Waubonsee | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
637 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
287 transferred to another institution.
Waubonsee lost contact with the remaining 337 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.04% |
| Transferred | 287 | 45.05% |
| Dropped Out | 337 | 52.90% |
First-time / part-time students at Waubonsee Community College represent 33.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Waubonsee graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Waubonsee | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
671 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
171 transferred to another institution.
Waubonsee lost contact with the remaining 481 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.83% |
| Transferred | 171 | 25.48% |
| Dropped Out | 481 | 71.68% |
Returning / full-time students at Waubonsee Community College represent 8.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Waubonsee graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Waubonsee | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
151 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
94 transferred to another institution.
Waubonsee lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.66% |
| Transferred | 94 | 62.25% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 37.09% |
Returning / part-time students at Waubonsee Community College represent 13.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Waubonsee graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | Waubonsee | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 26% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 37.80% |
265 non first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
132 transferred to another institution.
Waubonsee lost contact with the remaining 132 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.38% |
| Transferred | 132 | 49.81% |
| Dropped Out | 132 | 49.81% |
