Data from the National Student Clearinghouse provide insight into how and where students graduate from two- and four-year institutions. In total, 49 percent of the 2013 fall entering cohort graduated from their primary institution by 2018. Eleven percent graduated at a different institution, 12 percent were still enrolled, and 28 percent were not enrolled and did not graduate.
Fifty-six percent of students who started at a four-year public institution graduated from that institution and 11 percent graduated at a different institution, 3 percent of whom at a two-year institution. Sixty-five percent of students from a four-year private non-profit institution graduated at that institution while 12 percent graduated at a different institution. For students who started at a two-year public institution, 30 percent completed at their initial institution, 3 percent at another two-year public, and 8 percent earned a BA elsewhere.
As illustrated in the chart below, the percentage of non-completers was highest at four-year private for-profit institutions (46 percent), followed by two-year publics (43 percent), four-year publics (22 percent), and four-year privates (16 percent).
The chart below provides actual student counts. Data are not illustrated for four-year private for-profit institutions due to the relatively small numbers compared to the other institution sectors.
SOURCE: Shapiro, D., Ryu, M., Huie, F., Liu, Q., and Zheng, Y. (December 2019), Completing College 2019 National Report (Signature Report 18), Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.