The average graduation rate of U.S. colleges is 55.15%. It means that 55.15% of students have completed their studies within 150% of program length.

For the bachelor's degree (BS) in 4-year colleges, the average graduation rate is 52.68%, which means 52.68% of students earned BS degree in 6 years after enrolling first year.

In 2-year institutions (i.e. community colleges), the average graduation rate is 45.51%.

Rhode Island colleges have the highest graduation rate of 71.50%. Montana colleges has the lowest graduation rate of 40.00%.

Average Graduation Rate by State and School Level

The following geographic chart illustrates the graduation rate by state. Darker colored states have higher graduation rate, while lighter colored states have lower graduation rate. You may want to click on a state to see graduation rates for all colleges in that state.

Graduation Rate Comparison Table By State and School Level

The following table compares the graduation rate by state. It compares the graduation rate by school level and completion time for degrees and certificate programs.You can sort the table by each column by touching/clicking the column title.

Graduation Rate Comparison Table by State and School Level
State4-Year CollegesCommunity Colleges
Graduation RateTransfer-out RateRetention RateGraduation RateTransfer-out RateRetention Rate
Alaska 43.71%27.00%61.60%48.50%-68.00%
Alabama 46.50%31.00%71.10%29.36%19.29%60.12%
Arkansas 44.17%29.38%67.88%39.00%9.41%58.70%
American Samoa 32.00%9.00%---
Arizona 42.35%21.25%69.22%35.62%14.81%64.79%
California 60.39%14.60%78.43%44.19%9.08%69.57%
Colorado 45.69%21.48%69.64%54.06%10.30%71.32%
Connecticut 65.46%20.05%77.23%63.63%-80.63%
District of Columbia 56.27%20.83%78.55%83.33%3.00%61.00%
Delaware 45.80%12.75%73.50%41.00%-72.00%
Florida 49.90%15.85%70.51%60.80%8.29%66.92%
Federated States of Micronesia 25.00%2.00%50.00%---
Georgia 41.97%30.72%65.48%42.33%8.67%60.28%
Guam 23.33%88.00%---
Hawaii 49.00%25.00%67.00%32.88%10.17%58.88%
Iowa 62.42%20.47%73.84%53.86%13.73%71.79%
Idaho 51.90%17.88%73.44%48.00%12.75%64.60%
Illinois 55.57%26.87%73.21%39.74%16.70%65.83%
Indiana 56.90%23.37%69.98%51.50%7.00%65.40%
Kansas 44.50%33.06%67.07%45.44%19.13%62.19%
Kentucky 47.71%27.12%72.48%42.05%8.76%62.76%
Louisiana 46.81%29.38%68.75%41.89%16.29%59.43%
Massachusetts 67.03%18.23%81.14%30.16%15.27%60.67%
Maryland 60.31%24.64%75.73%30.17%18.25%63.06%
Maine 57.74%19.18%71.67%35.88%9.86%64.63%
Marshall Islands 11.00%2.00%---
Michigan 56.53%21.86%77.85%38.78%18.04%62.30%
Minnesota 62.95%21.75%74.33%32.90%19.96%59.43%
Missouri 53.07%28.44%72.88%49.24%13.83%66.00%
Northern Marianas 37.00%10.00%81.00%---
Mississippi 46.69%24.50%76.00%39.94%11.77%61.00%
Montana 40.00%17.57%71.00%33.56%17.43%59.30%
North Carolina 50.47%28.00%71.36%37.39%16.92%63.07%
North Dakota 41.87%20.17%73.64%46.71%16.25%63.43%
Nebraska 56.30%25.07%70.90%53.88%11.90%74.63%
New Hampshire 59.29%18.00%73.79%35.57%15.29%60.43%
New Jersey 56.38%38.00%78.44%46.25%11.95%72.53%
New Mexico 40.67%23.29%65.82%29.10%10.67%56.67%
Nevada 43.70%18.33%72.17%53.71%1.00%68.57%
New York 58.02%28.76%78.28%48.61%17.31%66.19%
Ohio 46.04%23.34%67.26%55.29%11.35%65.91%
Oklahoma 42.36%21.83%65.84%49.93%11.21%60.61%
Oregon 55.63%23.00%74.56%45.79%12.58%69.22%
Pennsylvania 57.12%23.39%78.54%51.15%15.70%68.76%
Puerto Rico 41.40%9.96%72.43%50.50%5.00%65.47%
Palau 33.00%4.00%61.00%
Rhode Island 71.50%18.50%79.36%54.00%9.00%71.00%
South Carolina 46.97%26.07%69.44%29.33%29.95%57.88%
South Dakota 43.57%19.71%73.29%62.50%5.75%75.00%
Tennessee 53.42%23.66%73.56%56.72%11.23%66.48%
Texas 44.42%21.68%68.67%46.41%15.57%61.81%
Utah 52.88%18.78%68.74%64.00%11.00%74.00%
Virginia 56.88%19.71%72.10%42.71%8.83%63.66%
Virgin Islands 27.00%28.00%66.00%---
Vermont 61.00%20.40%79.89%25.00%23.00%55.00%
Washington 47.04%16.95%73.89%59.82%10.75%69.73%
Wisconsin 55.12%21.80%74.15%54.24%7.67%74.05%
West Virginia 47.22%21.07%70.17%54.22%8.17%70.65%
Wyoming 40.20%18.20%59.50%47.50%18.67%71.00%