Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    Trump Webinar Series
    Mental Health Forum
    Using Big Data to Improve Social Mobility
Sign In
News

2-Year Colleges With the Best 3-Year Graduation Rates, 2016

Almanac 2018 August 19, 2018

The best completion rate among two-year colleges that confer predominantly associate degrees was at Oxford College of Emory University, a liberal-arts-focused, small-town campus where students earn associate degrees before going on to pursue bachelor’s degrees on Emory’s main campus. The second-best rate was at the for-profit Swedish Institute-College of Health Sciences, in New York, which offers associate degrees in massage therapy, nursing, and other health professions. Students at two-year public institutions were more likely than those enrolled at colleges in other sectors to stay enrolled at the first institution beyond the normal completion period. Students at for-profit colleges were the least likely to transfer out.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

The best completion rate among two-year colleges that confer predominantly associate degrees was at Oxford College of Emory University, a liberal-arts-focused, small-town campus where students earn associate degrees before going on to pursue bachelor’s degrees on Emory’s main campus. The second-best rate was at the for-profit Swedish Institute-College of Health Sciences, in New York, which offers associate degrees in massage therapy, nursing, and other health professions. Students at two-year public institutions were more likely than those enrolled at colleges in other sectors to stay enrolled at the first institution beyond the normal completion period. Students at for-profit colleges were the least likely to transfer out.


Return to the Almanac home page, or go to the Profession, Students, Finance, or States section. To purchase a copy of the Almanac in print or as a downloadable interactive PDF, visit the Chronicle Store. Help guide us to give you the data you need by taking our 10-minute online Almanac survey.


Public institutions

RankInstitutionStudent
cohort
Completers
within 150
percent of
expected
time
Overall completion rateCompleted
less-than-
2-year
programs
Completed
2-year
programs
Transferred
out
Still
enrolled
No longer
enrolled
1. Lake Area Technical Institute 657 467 71.1% 19.2% 51.9% 6.1% 2.4% 20.4%
2. Mitchell Technical Institute 371 257 69.3% 21.0% 48.2% 5.1% 2.2% 23.5%
3. Frontier Community College 67 44 65.7% 23.9% 41.8% 19.4% 3.0% 11.9%
4. State Technical College of Missouri 485 314 64.7% 11.1% 53.6% 3.5% 0.4% 31.3%
5. De Anza College 2,510 1,537 61.2% 0.1% 61.2% 8.6% 8.7% 21.5%
6. Alexandria Technical and Community College 508 310 61.0% 8.7% 52.4% 13.6% 2.0% 23.4%
7. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology 402 244 60.7% 8.2% 52.5% - 1.7% 37.6%
8. Northwest Iowa Community College 226 129 57.1% 24.3% 32.7% 8.0% 2.2% 32.7%
9. Wabash Valley College 260 145 55.8% 5.8% 50.0% 19.2% 2.3% 22.7%
10. Lincoln Trail College 158 87 55.1% 9.5% 45.6% 28.5% 0.6% 15.8%
11. Carl Albert State College 608 330 54.3% 0.0% 54.3% 11.7% 7.6% 26.5%
12. Northeast Community College 749 397 53.0% 3.6% 49.4% 13.5% 6.1% 27.4%
13. Spoon River College 345 175 50.7% 3.5% 47.2% 16.8% 4.9% 27.5%
14. Rend Lake College 354 179 50.6% 9.3% 41.2% 18.6% 2.5% 28.2%
15. North Dakota State College of Science 743 374 50.3% 1.9% 48.5% 20.7% 1.1% 27.9%
16. Patrick Henry Community College 541 271 50.1% 4.8% 45.3% 7.8% 5.7% 36.4%
17. Olney Central College 216 106 49.1% 11.6% 37.5% 27.8% 1.4% 21.8%
18. Iowa Lakes Community College 410 195 47.6% 5.4% 42.2% - 2.2% 50.2%
19. Northwest Kansas Technical College 215 102 47.4% 17.7% 29.8% 20.0% 0.0% 32.6%
20. Lake Region State College 186 88 47.3% 3.2% 44.1% - 1.1% 51.6%
21. Bates Technical College 158 74 46.8% 18.4% 28.5% 10.8% 2.5% 39.9%
22. North Florida Community College 168 78 46.4% 14.3% 32.1% 11.3% 11.3% 31.0%
23. Lakeshore Technical College 220 102 46.4% 20.5% 25.9% 7.7% 8.2% 37.7%
24. Colby Community College 272 126 46.3% 4.4% 41.9% 21.7% 2.9% 29.0%
25. Arkansas State U. at Mountain Home 224 103 46.0% 17.4% 28.6% 30.4% 4.9% 18.8%
Over all for 762 institutions 598,294 138,806 23.2% 2.8% 20.4% 17.7% 14.7% 43.8%

Private nonprofit institutions

RankInstitutionStudent
cohort
Completers
within 150
percent of
expected
time
Overall completion rateCompleted
less-than-
2-year
programs
Completed
2-year
programs
Transferred
out
Still
enrolled
No longer
enrolled
1. Oxford College of Emory U. 498 459 92.2% 0.0% 92.2% - 0.4% 7.4%
2. Rosedale Technical Institute 111 91 82.0% 0.0% 82.0% - 4.5% 13.5%
3. Perry Technical Institute (Wash.) 313 253 80.8% 32.6% 48.2% - 0.6% 18.5%
4. Delaware College of Art and Design 87 62 71.3% 0.0% 71.3% - 2.3% 26.4%
5. Johnson College 151 107 70.9% 10.6% 60.3% - 0.7% 28.5%
6. American Academy of Dramatic Arts at New York 99 67 67.7% 0.0% 67.7% 32.3% 0.0% 0.0%
7. Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics 106 70 66.0% 0.0% 66.0% - 0.0% 34.0%
8. Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service 118 74 62.7% 0.0% 62.7% - 0.0% 37.3%
9. Wentworth Military Academy and Junior College 180 87 48.3% 0.0% 48.3% - 3.9% 47.8%
10. Spartanburg Methodist College 465 185 39.8% 0.0% 39.8% 41.9% 0.0% 18.3%
Over all for 20 institutions 4,496 2,071 46.1% 3.0% 43.0% 33.6% 3.5% 33.0%

For-profit institutions

RankInstitutionStudent
cohort
Completers
within 150
percent of
expected
time
Overall completion rateCompleted
less-than-
2-year
programs
Completed
2-year
programs
Transferred
out
Still
enrolled
No longer
enrolled
1. Swedish Institute-College of Health Sciences 136 124 91.2% 0.0% 91.2% 0.7% 0.0% 8.1%
2. Triangle Tech at Greensburg (Pa.) 81 70 86.4% 0.0% 86.4% - 0.0% 13.6%
3. Douglas Education Center 71 58 81.7% 18.3% 63.4% - 0.0% 18.3%
4. Wood Tobe-Coburn School 189 153 81.0% 14.8% 66.1% - 0.0% 19.0%
5. King’s College (N.C.) 210 169 80.5% 28.6% 51.9% - 0.0% 19.5%
6. Triangle Tech at DuBois (Pa.) 80 64 80.0% 0.0% 80.0% - 0.0% 20.0%
7. International Business College at Indianapolis 156 119 76.3% 10.9% 65.4% - 0.0% 23.7%
8. Bradford School (Pa.) 193 144 74.6% 9.3% 65.3% - 0.0% 25.4%
9. Antonelli Institute of Art and Photography 98 71 72.4% 0.0% 72.4% 3.1% 0.0% 24.5%
10. IBMC College 222 159 71.6% 16.7% 55.0% 1.8% 0.0% 26.6%
Over all for 74 institutions 18,366 9,152 49.8% 12.0% 37.8% 2.6% 2.3% 46.3%

Note: Only degree-granting U.S. two-year colleges eligible to participate in Title IV federal financial-aid programs, with at least 50 students in the degree-seeking cohort, are included. Institutions in which more than half of completing students finished programs of less than two years’ duration were excluded from the analysis and from the overall figures for each sector. Graduation rates reflect the percentage of first-time, full-time, degree- or certificate-seeking students who entered in 2013 and completed an associate degree or earned a certificate at the same institution within 150 percent of the normal time to completion for that program. Students pursuing two-year degrees, for example, counted as graduating if they had completed the program in three years (by August 31, 2016). Students who transferred and then graduated from another institution are not counted in the data as having graduated. Hyphens indicate no data were reported. Reporting of transfer rates was optional for some institutions. Nonreporting institutions were excluded from the calculation of the median transfer rate. Cohorts were adjusted to exclude students who died, were permanently disabled, or left to serve in the military or with a foreign-aid agency or an official church mission. Percentages are rounded, but ranks are ordered on the basis of unrounded figures. Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to the Almanac editor.

Source: Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of Education data

A version of this article appeared in the August 24, 2018, issue.
Read other items in Students: Almanac 2018.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Teaching & Learning Data
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email

More News

Photo-based illustration of a Sonoma State University clock structure that's fallen into a hole in a $100 bill.
Campus Crossroads
Sonoma State U. Is Making Big Cuts to Close a Budget Hole. What Will Be Left?
Illustration showing three classical columns on stacks of coins, at different heights due to the amount of coins stacked underneath
Data
These 32 Colleges Could Take a Financial Hit Under Republicans’ Expanded Endowment Tax
Conti-0127
Finance
Here’s What Republicans’ Proposed College-Endowment Tax Could Look Like
Illustration of a magnifying glass highlighting the phrase "including the requirements set forth in Presidential Executive Order 14168 titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government."
The Fine Print
The NIH Is Requiring Grantees to Follow Trump’s Anti-Trans Executive Order

From The Review

Illustration depicting a pendulum with a red ball featuring a portion of President Trump's face to the left about to strike balls showing a group of protesters.
The Review | Opinion
Trump Is Destroying DEI With the Same Tools That Built It
By Noliwe M. Rooks
Illustration showing two men and giant books, split into two sides—one blue and one red. The two men are reaching across the center color devide to shake hands.
The Review | Opinion
Left and Right Agree: Higher Ed Needs to Change
By Michael W. Clune
University of British Columbia president and vice-chancellor Santa Ono pauses while speaking during a memorandum of understanding  signing ceremony between the Tsilhqot'in National Government and UBC, in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Dec. 8, 2021.
The Review | Opinion
Santa Ono Flees for Florida
By Silke-Maria Weineck

Upcoming Events

Plain_USF_AIWorkForce_VF.png
New Academic Programs for an AI-Driven Work Force
Cincy_Plain.png
Hands-On Career Preparation
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin