Decoding College Dropout: Statistics, Trends, and Impact

Dropping out of college is a multifaceted issue impacting millions of individuals. More than 1 million college students drop out of school each year. This article delves into the statistics surrounding college dropouts, examining dropout rates across different demographics, reasons behind students leaving, and the economic consequences they face.

Understanding the Overall College Dropout Rate

Determining the overall college dropout rate can be a challenge. Institutions most commonly track the number of students who are no longer enrolled or who do not receive a degree. However, these numbers often don’t account for students who re-enroll at another institution. As such, dropout rates may be overestimated.

As of 2022, approximately 29.2% of students who entered school in 2017 neither earned their degree nor were enrolled at any other institution six years later. Because of how recently this data collection period ended, there is still a chance that some of these students will re-enroll or have already re-enrolled at another institution.

For first-year students, the most recent dropout rates are a little clearer. Between 2016 and 2021, the average dropout rate for first-year, full-time students was 24.4%. Since 2006-2007, the dropout rate for first-time, full-time, first-year undergraduates has decreased by almost five percentage points.

Dropout Rates by School Type

For first-year students attending college for the first time, the college dropout rate is highest at public, two-year institutions. Between 2020 and 2021, 2 in 5 (39%) full-time, first-year undergraduates at public two-year schools - such as community colleges - dropped out of school. First-year undergraduates who attended nonprofit four-year institutions had the lowest dropout rate from 2020-2021 at 18.9%.

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Overall, students attending for-profit institutions are historically more likely to drop out than students attending public or nonprofit institutions. However, for-profit two-year institutions buck this trend.

College Dropout Rate Demographics

Different demographic groups, such as those based on race, sex/gender, and age, have varying dropout rates. As with all dropout rates, some students who are counted as dropouts may have transferred to another institution without notifying their first institution.

Dropout Rates by Race

Based on 10 years of data spanning 2006-2015, American Indian/Alaska Native first-year students have the highest average dropout rate at about 40%. This is roughly 10 percentage points higher than the most recent average dropout rate for all students. Black and Pacific Islander first-year students also dropped out at higher rates than Hispanic, White, and Asian students. Asian students have consistently had the lowest dropout rate after their first year of all other racial/ethnic groups at an average of 15.6%.

In each year from 2012 through 2022, the status dropout rate for Asian 16- to 24-year-olds was lower than the rate for those who were White, and the rates for both groups were lower than the rates for those who were Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native. However, gaps between these groups were generally smaller in 2022 than in 2012, due to the larger percentage point declines among the racial/ethnic group with the higher dropout rate in each set of groups for which there was a gap. For example, between 2012 and 2022, the Asian-Hispanic and White-Hispanic gaps in status dropout rates dropped 4 and 5 percentage points, respectively. This narrowing of the gap was due to the percentage point decrease in the dropout rate among Hispanic 16- to 24-year-olds over the period.

Among students aged 16 to 24, American Indians have the highest dropout rate at 9.9%. In contrast, Asian students have the lowest dropout rate in this age group, with just 1.9%. White students make up 32.9% of all college dropouts, while Black students represent 14.1%. Mostly, 9.9% of American Indians drop out compared to the 1.9% of the Asian students. Asian students make up 2.7% of all dropouts, which is the third lowest among ethnic demographics. Native American students make up 1.0% of all dropouts, which is the second lowest among ethnic demographics. Black students make up 14.1% of all dropouts.

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Dropout Rates by Gender

Women are more likely to complete college in four years than men, and the data suggests that they are also less likely to drop out of school. However, data directly comparing the percentage of women who drop out to men is scarce. About 51% of women who enrolled in college in 2014 completed their degree within four years compared to 41% of men. Women have tended to complete their degree within four years at a rate 26% higher than men on average within the past 10 years of available data. On average, six years after enrolling, about 23% of women are no longer enrolled in school compared to about 28% of men.

Neither the National Center for Education Statistics nor the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports on dropout rates for nonbinary students, transgender students, intersex students, or other students outside of the male/female or man/woman binary.

In 2022, the status dropout rate was higher for male 16- to 24-year-olds than for female 16- to 24-year-olds overall (6.3 vs. 4.3 percent). American Indian/Alaska Native (12.6 vs. Hispanic (9.6 vs. Black (7.0 vs. of Two or more races (5.3 vs. White (4.9 vs. There were no measurable differences in status dropout rates between males and females who were Asian, Pacific Islander, or of Some other race. A higher dropout rate was observed among male students aged below 25. The dropout rates of men are higher than those of women in Public Universities and Private Nonprofit Colleges.

Dropout Rates by State

Large states like California, Texas, and New York have the highest number of residents with some college experience yet no degree. However, Oregon has the largest percentage of these individuals relative to the state’s total population.

The college dropout or SCNC rate in New Jersey is lower than the national average.

College dropout and SCNC rates vary according to region. College dropouts are more likely to live in California than in any other state. Alaska has the highest dropout-to-undergraduate ratio, with dropouts outnumbering enrolled undergraduates by more than 4-to-1. 21,869 students enrolled in college in Alaska in 2023-2024. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Arizona make up 11.0% of the national completer population. 501,563 students enrolled in college in Arizona in 2023-2024. New Arkansas dropouts make up 5.0% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Arkansas make up 7.8% of the national completer population. 126,751 students enrolled in college in Arkansas in 2023-2024. 1,383 SCNCs under 25, 2,907 SCNCs 25-34 years old, 1,305 SCNCs 35-44 years old. and 653 SCNCs 45-64 years old re-enroll in college after dropping out. New California dropouts make up 5.8% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in California make up 7.0% of the national completer population. 2,562,357 students enrolled in college in California in 2023-2024. 147,529 students enrolled in college in Connecticut in 2023-2024. The college dropout or SCNC rate in D.C. 36,706 of D.C. New D.C. dropouts make up 5.7% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in D.C. 46,170 students enrolled in college in D.C. New Florida dropouts make up 6.2% of the nationwide SCNCs. New Hawaii dropouts make up 6.3% of the nationwide SCNCs. New Idaho dropouts make up 8.8% of the nationwide SCNCs. New Illinois dropouts make up 4.1% of the nationwide SCNCs. 207,049 students enrolled in college in Kentucky in 2023-2024. New Louisiana dropouts make up 5.8% of the nationwide SCNCs. 441,659 students enrolled in college in Michigan in 2023-2024. 252,050 students enrolled in college in Missouri in 2023-2024. New Montana dropouts make up 5.2% of the nationwide SCNCs. 44,184 students enrolled in college in Montana in 2023-2024. 108,561 students enrolled in college in Nevada in 2023-2024. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in New Hampshire make up 6.7% of the national completer population. 47,150 students enrolled in college in Ohio in 2023-2024. 496,244 students enrolled in college in Oklahoma in 2023-2024. Recent Oregon dropouts make up 3.8% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Pennsylvania make up 7.3% of the national completer population. Recent Utah dropouts make up 7.9% of the nationwide SCNCs. Recent Virginia dropouts make up 5.7% of the nationwide SCNCs. 304,262 students enrolled in college in Wyoming in 2023-2024.

Reasons Why College Students Drop Out

In a 2021 UPCEA survey of 3,236 individuals aged 20-34, the most common reasons students say they ultimately left their institution were money and personal/family issues. Nearly one-third of students (32%) selected personal/family issues as the reason they ultimately left school. Just under one-quarter of students (24%) cited money, while 11% said work/pursue a career path, and 10% said they were disinterested/dissatisfied with school. Younger students were most likely of any respondents to say disinterest/dissatisfaction with school was their main reason for dropping out.

Approximately 30% of students report that financial issues were their primary reason for leaving college. Besides, 24% of the students in the survey stated that they dropped out of college due to a lack of money.

Students who drop out of college may do so because of finances, lack of time, lack of support, or high academic standards. 41% of college dropouts indicate they left due to financial reasons, while 37% indicate they left for family reasons or commitments. Of students who were enrolled but seriously considering leaving college, about half said it is difficult to afford college (53%) and related expenses (50%). Other potential reasons students drop out include academic difficulties or lack of support. 26% of students who dropped out said that academic challenges contributed to leaving, while 22% said that mental health challenges were a factor. Students who dropped out or who were seriously considering leaving college were less likely to have family encouragement to attend college.

Economic Impacts of College Dropouts

College dropouts borrow more money on average to pay for school than their counterparts who complete their degrees. They are also left with less ability to pay back their student loan debt, as dropouts earn less and have higher rates of unemployment than those with degrees. Students who began school in 2003 and were no longer enrolled six years later paid 14-59% more per credit than their counterparts who completed a degree within six years.

Workers who have attended some years of college but have no degree have a 5.5% unemployment rate. Workers over 24 years without a college degree make an average of $899 per week. Workers over 25 with some college but no degree earned a median salary of $935 in 2021. Workers over 25 with some college but no degree make 7.2% less than associate’s degree holders on average. Workers aged 25 and older with some college but no degree make 9.7% more than high school diploma only. There is a direct correlation between lower income and an increased risk of dropout among all postsecondary students.

As of 2021, those over the age of 25 with some college but no degree had median weekly earnings of $935 and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Those over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree or higher took home at least $1,432 in median weekly earnings and had an unemployment rate of 2.2% or less.

Trends in Dropout Rates

But dropout rates have steadily decreased over the last decade. The overall status dropout rate for 16- to 24-year-olds decreased from 7.0 percent in 2012 to 5.3 percent in 2022. During this time, the status dropout rate declined for those who were American Indian/Alaska Native (from 12.8 to 9.9 percent), Hispanic (from 12.8 to 7.9 percent), Black (from 9.0 to 5.7 percent), White (from 4.7 to 4.3 percent), and Asian (from 2.6 to 1.9 percent). The status dropout rate represents the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and have not earned a high school credential (either a diploma or an equivalency credential such as a GED certificate).

The status dropout rate generally varied by race/ethnicity in 2022. The status dropout rate for those of Two or more races was also lower in 2022 (4.5 percent) than in 2012 (5.6 percent), although there was no measurable trend for the period. In contrast, the status dropout rates for those who were Pacific Islander and those of Some other race did not differ measurably in 2022 compared with 2012.

Factors Influencing Dropout Rates

Several factors influence college dropout rates, including enrollment status, disability status, and field of study.

Full-time students remain significantly more likely to earn a degree, with 67.1 percent of full-time 2019 starters completing by year six and only 25.1 percent stopping out.

In 2022, the status dropout rate was lower for 16- to 24-year-olds living in households and noninstitutionalized group quarters such as college or military housing (5.1 percent) than for those living in institutionalized group quarters such as correctional or health care facilities (32.9 percent). The status dropout rate also differed by disability status in 2022.

Computer science has the highest dropout rate, at 10.7%, compared to other educational sectors.

Addressing the Issue: Re-enrollment

In general, students who drop out of college and re-enroll later are less likely to drop out a second time. Roughly 2-3% of all SCNCs re-enroll, regardless of their original degree-granting institution. 43.1 million Americans were college dropouts as of July 2023; 1,009,237 of them re-enrolled that fall. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Arizona make up 11.0% of the national completer population. New Arkansas dropouts make up 5.0% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Arkansas make up 7.8% of the national completer population. New California dropouts make up 5.8% of the nationwide SCNCs. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in California make up 7.0% of the national completer population. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in New Hampshire make up 6.7% of the national completer population. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Pennsylvania make up 7.3% of the national completer population.

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