by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Western Dakota Tech 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 Western Dakota Tech. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, Western Dakota Tech 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 South Dakota, the average is 75.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Western Dakota Tech | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Dakota | 75.05% |
There were approximately 271 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 46% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 Western Dakota Tech graduation rate 46%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 261 | 45% |
| Six Years | 271 | 46% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 311 | 53% |
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 311 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 311 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
125 transferred to another institution.
Western Dakota Tech lost contact with the remaining 184 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 125 | 40.2% |
| Dropped Out | 184 | 59.2% |
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 Western Dakota Tech 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 Western Dakota Technical College represent 37.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Western Dakota Tech graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | Western Dakota Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 50% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
108 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
Western Dakota Tech lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.93% |
| Transferred | 36 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 65.74% |
First-time / part-time students at Western Dakota Technical College represent 13.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Western Dakota Tech graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | Western Dakota Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 31% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
54 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
17 transferred to another institution.
Western Dakota Tech lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 17 | 31.48% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 68.52% |
Returning / full-time students at Western Dakota Technical College represent 30.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Western Dakota Tech graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | Western Dakota Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 49% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 55.07% |
90 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
Western Dakota Tech lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.11% |
| Transferred | 42 | 46.67% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 52.22% |
Returning / part-time students at Western Dakota Technical College represent 19.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Western Dakota Tech graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | Western Dakota Tech | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 45% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 37.80% |
59 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
Western Dakota Tech lost contact with the remaining 29 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 30 | 50.85% |
| Dropped Out | 29 | 49.15% |
