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Indicator 23: Postsecondary Graduation Rates
(Last Updated: February 2019)

The 6-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2010 was highest for Asian students (74 percent), followed by White students (64 percent), students of Two or more races (60 percent), Hispanic students (54 percent), Pacific Islander students (51 percent), Black students (40 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native students (39 percent).

The 1990 Student Right to Know Act requires degree-granting postsecondary institutions to report the percentage of students who complete their program within 150 percent of the normal time for completion (e.g., within 6 years for students seeking a bachelor’s degree). Students who transfer without completing a degree are counted as noncompleters in the calculation of these rates regardless of whether they complete a degree at another institution. The 6-year graduation rate (150 percent graduation rate) in 2016 was 60 percent for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2010. In comparison, 41 percent of first-time, full-time undergraduates seeking a bachelor’s degree received them within 4 years and 56 percent received them within 5 years.


Figure 23.1. Graduation rates from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and time to completion: Cohort entry year 2010

Figure 23.1. Graduation rates from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and time to completion: Cohort entry year 2010


NOTE: Data are for 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Graduation rates refer to students receiving bachelor’s degrees from their initial institutions of attendance only. The total includes data for persons whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2016–17, Graduation Rates component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 326.10.


Among students of different racial/ethnic groups who began seeking a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2010, the 6-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students was highest for Asian students (74 percent), followed by White students (64 percent), students of Two or more races (60 percent), Hispanic students (54 percent), Pacific Islander students (51 percent), Black students (40 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native students (39 percent). In comparison, the 4-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time undergraduate students was 50 percent or less for each racial/ethnic group.


Figure 23.2. Graduation rate within 6 years (150 percent of normal time) for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and sex: Cohort entry year 2010

Figure 23.2. Graduation rate within 6 years (150 percent of normal time) for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and sex: Cohort entry year 2010


NOTE: Data are for 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Graduation rates refer to students receiving bachelor’s degrees from their initial institutions of attendance only. The total includes data for persons whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2016–17, Graduation Rates component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 326.10.


The 6-year graduation rate was higher for females than for males overall (63 vs. 57 percent) and within each racial/ethnic group. The gender gap was narrowest among Pacific Islander students (53 percent for females vs. 50 percent for males) and widest among Black students (44 percent for females vs. 34 percent for males).


Figure 23.3. Graduation rate within 6 years (150 percent of normal time) for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and control of institution: Cohort entry year 2010

Figure 23.3. Graduation rate within 6 years (150 percent of normal time) for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and control of institution: Cohort entry year 2010


NOTE: Data are for 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Graduation rates refer to students receiving bachelor’s degrees from their initial institutions of attendance only. The total includes data for persons whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2016–17, Graduation Rates component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 326.10.


Among first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began seeking a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2010, the 6-year graduation rate was 66 percent at private nonprofit institutions, 59 percent at public institutions, and 26 percent at private for-profit institutions. Private nonprofit institutions had the highest 6-year graduation rates for each racial/ethnic group; Asian students (79 percent) had the highest graduation rate at private nonprofit institutions and Black students (43 percent) had the lowest. At public institutions, the 6-year graduation rate was highest for Asian students (72 percent) and lowest for American Indian/Alaska Native students (36 percent). The 6-year graduation rate for students at private for-profit institutions was lower than those at public and private nonprofit institutions across all racial/ethnic groups. At private for-profit institutions, the 6-year graduation rate was highest for Asian students (48 percent) and lowest for Black students (18 percent). At each type of 4-year degree-granting institution, less than 50 percent of both Black students and American Indian/Alaska Native students graduated within 6 years.


Figure 23.4. Graduation rate within 150 percent of normal time for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time associate’s degree/certificate-seeking students at 2-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity: Cohort entry year 2013

Figure 23.4. Graduation rate within 150 percent of normal time for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time associate’s degree/certificate-seeking students at 2-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity: Cohort entry year 2013


NOTE: Data are for 2-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Graduation rates refer to students receiving associate’s degrees or certificates from their initial institutions of attendance only. Totals include data for persons whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2016–17, Graduation Rates component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 326.20.


At 2-year degree-granting institutions, 30 percent of first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began seeking a certificate or associate’s degree in fall 2013 attained it within 150 percent of the normal time required for completion of these programs (e.g., completing a 2-year degree within 3 years). The 150 percent graduation rate was highest for Asian students (36 percent), followed by Pacific Islander students (34 percent), White students (32 percent), Hispanic students (30 percent), American Indian/Alaska Native students (27 percent), students of Two or more races (25 percent), and Black students (23 percent).


Figure 23.5. Graduation rate within 150 percent of normal time for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time associate’s degree/certificate-seeking students at 2-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and control of institution: Cohort entry year 2013

Figure 23.5. Graduation rate within 150 percent of normal time for degree completion from first institution attended for first-time, full-time associate’s degree/certificate-seeking students at 2-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and control of institution: Cohort entry year 2013


NOTE: Data are for 2-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Graduation rates refer to students receiving associate’s degrees or certificates from their initial institutions of attendance only. Students who transferred to another institution before receiving an associate’s degree or certificate are not counted as graduates. The total includes data for persons whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2016–17, Graduation Rates component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2017, table 326.20.


The 150 percent graduation rate was twice as high at private nonprofit and private for-profit 2-year institutions (60 percent each) than it was at public 2-year institutions (24 percent). The 150 percent graduation rate in 2016 for first-time, full-time students at public 2-year institutions was highest for Asian students (32 percent) and lowest for Black students (13 percent). At private nonprofit 2-year institutions, the 150 percent graduation rate was highest for Asian students (75 percent) and lowest for Black students (50 percent). At private for-profit 2-year institutions, the 150 percent graduation rate was highest for Asian and Pacific Islander students (69 percent each) and lowest for Black students (48 percent).

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