Postsecondary Education Definition

Retention rates within institutions

The percentage of first-time degree or certificate seeking students/beneficiaries who complete their educational program or return to the same institution to continue their studies the following year.

Cohort consists of any first time students/ beneficiaries enrolled in the institution in a given year.

* 4-year institutions:
full-time Bachelor’s degree seeking, part-time Bachelor’s degree seeking;
* Less than 4- year institutions:
full-time degree or certificate seeking students, part-time degree or certificate seeking students.

ED = Yes (year one to year two)
VA = Yes (potentially multi-years)
DOD = Yes (potentially multi-years)

Persistence rates of students

The percentage of the cohort who completed a program or enrolled for credit at any institution in two consecutive years.

Cohort consists of any first time students/beneficiaries enrolled in an institution in a given year.

* 4-year institutions:
full-time Bachelor’s degree seeking, part-time Bachelor’s degree seeking;
* Less than 4- year institutions:
full-time degree or certificate seeking students, part-time degree or certificate seeking students.

ED = Yes (every 8 years, multiple years for a single nationally representative cohort)
VA = Yes (annually, year to year, multiple years for a single cohort)
DOD = Yes (annually, year to year, multiple years for a single cohort)

Course Completion rates within institutions

The percent of courses attempted for credit that were successfully completed (received a passing grade) in a given year.

Population includes any student/beneficiary who enrolled in a course for credit in the current year.

TBD

ED = Yes (every eight years at the national level)
VA = No
DOD = Yes

Transfer-out rate from institutions

The percentage of the full-time, first-time students/beneficiaries who transferred to another institution. within 150% of normal time (e.g., 6 years for 4 year institutions, 3 years for 2 year institutions and below).

Cohort consists of any first time, full-time students/beneficiaries enrolled in the institution in a given year.

ED = Yes (when reported)
VA = Yes
DOD = will develop an alternative measure that includes part-time student

Graduation / Program Completion rates from institutions

a.) GR 150 - The percentage of first time degree or certificate-seeking students/beneficiaries who complete a degree or certificate within 150% or of normal time.
b.) GR 200 - The percentage of first time students/beneficiaries who complete a degree or certificate within 200% of normal time.

Cohort for GR 150 and GR 200 consists of first time degree or certificate seeking students/beneficiaries enrolled in an institution in a given year followed for 150 percent and 200 percent of the time for normal completion.

* 4-year institutions:
full-time Bachelor’s degree seeking, full-time Associate’s degree seeking, full-time undergraduate certificate seeking students;
* Less than 4- year institutions:
full-time degree seeking, full-time undergraduate certificate seeking students.

ED = Yes (annually)
VA = Yes (annually, but subject to under-reporting associated with voluntary reporting)
DOD = will develop an alternative measure that includes part-time students

Number of Degrees / Certificate Completions from institutions

The number of...