by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many WCTC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at WCTC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 78% students making it past their freshmen year, WCTC 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 Wisconsin, the average is 74.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WCTC | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Wisconsin | 74.47% |
How many of the estimated 675 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 44% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 48% of the students had graduated and after eight years 50% 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 WCTC graduation rate 48%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 620 | 44% |
| Six Years | 675 | 48% |
| Eight Years | 22 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 710 | 50% |
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 710 students or 50% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 710 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
159 transferred to another institution.
WCTC lost contact with the remaining 534 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 159 | 22.4% |
| Dropped Out | 534 | 75.2% |
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 WCTC 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 Waukesha County Technical College represent 28.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WCTC graduation rate was 57%, and by the eight year mark, 58% 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 | WCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 53% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 57% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
167 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
35 transferred to another institution.
WCTC lost contact with the remaining 130 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.20% |
| Transferred | 35 | 20.96% |
| Dropped Out | 130 | 77.84% |
First-time / part-time students at Waukesha County Technical College represent 34.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WCTC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | WCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 35% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 23.72% |
306 first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
WCTC lost contact with the remaining 234 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 63 | 20.59% |
| Dropped Out | 234 | 76.47% |
Returning / full-time students at Waukesha County Technical College represent 17.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WCTC graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 64% 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 | WCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 62% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 64% | 55.07% |
87 non first-time / part-time students or 36% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
27 transferred to another institution.
WCTC lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 5.75% |
| Transferred | 27 | 31.03% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 63.22% |
Returning / part-time students at Waukesha County Technical College represent 20.68% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WCTC graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | WCTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
150 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
34 transferred to another institution.
WCTC lost contact with the remaining 115 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.67% |
| Transferred | 34 | 22.67% |
| Dropped Out | 115 | 76.67% |
