Children And Education
College Graduation Rates

Decreasing


College Graduation Rates

What does this measure?

The percent of the students in local colleges and universities that graduate within 3 years for students at 2-year colleges and within 6 years for students at 4-year colleges.

Why is this important?

College is a primary, though not the only, gateway to a productive and independent adult life. Both employment rates and earnings have tended to be higher among degree holders.

How does our county compare?

In 2021, 66% of students attending 2- and 4-year colleges graduated within 3 and 6 years, respectively. This rate is lower than the state (69%) and higher than the national rate of 61%.

The college graduation rate among colleges in Lancaster was higher than rates in Berks (54%) and Dauphin (32%), the same as York (66%), and similar to Chester, Cumberland and Lebanon (all 68%).

Notes about the data

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) only includes full-time, first-time students in the graduation rates data. Transfer students and non-traditional students are excluded from these data.

College Graduation Rates
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Pennsylvania62%62%62%63%63%64%65%65%66%66%66%66%65%66%66%66%66%68%69%69%69%
Lancaster County69%68%68%70%65%67%68%71%66%69%71%71%70%69%71%69%69%68%66%67%66%
Berks County51%51%51%53%53%53%55%56%56%55%55%54%55%55%56%55%55%56%56%55%54%
Chester County46%53%52%55%54%55%54%55%53%55%56%52%56%61%64%65%68%69%71%71%68%
Cumberland County67%68%67%68%69%70%68%71%71%70%68%67%64%66%66%65%64%65%68%65%68%
Lebanon County74%74%68%69%67%73%70%70%68%75%73%72%73%75%74%76%73%73%78%75%68%
York County58%55%55%57%57%57%59%59%59%62%59%57%57%58%56%57%57%57%63%65%66%
Dauphin County100%50%0%44%78%68%57%56%59%64%60%59%53%59%31%25%32%

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)




Number of College Graduates
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Pennsylvania40,14043,40644,67746,88747,79649,15251,45352,64754,05855,45257,91559,77059,80461,84861,46362,53062,37962,29963,15563,32962,765
Lancaster County1,5081,5021,4121,5131,4331,6121,6431,7311,6221,7421,8681,8331,8301,8531,9841,9211,8361,8451,7791,8451,811
Berks County1,2711,1911,3201,3901,4031,5461,6431,7351,8151,8271,9011,9521,9852,0352,0502,0662,0632,0081,5991,4801,496
Chester County8361,0651,1521,2621,2951,2931,2991,3731,4641,4471,8631,8211,8181,7792,0621,8502,0242,1952,1722,1192,155
Cumberland County1,5631,8681,7731,8891,9532,1082,1582,1692,1782,1272,0131,9892,1242,0982,0392,1072,0321,8481,9441,8701,962
Lebanon County218219195209283299271292287323330324329298281350342294320309309
York County582642623651681709717746734900889865954930848955823819675709587
Dauphin County53041438142211271308306352335446332536

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Decreasing
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Maintaining
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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