SUCCESS Key Performance Indicator
Graduation Rate
Three-year graduation rate is the indicator public community and technical colleges report to the United States Department of Education through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). This measure reflects the percentage of first-time, full-time associate or credential-seeking students entering in the fall semester who graduate with an associate degree or credential within three years of entry, or 150% of the normal time frame. A six-year graduation rate is reported to IPEDS by public universities and reflects the percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students who receive a bachelor's degree within six years of entry, or 150% of the normal time frame. As with the three-year rate, part-time and transfer students are excluded from the cohort, as are students who begin in the spring semester. Despite these limitations, graduation rates are a useful way to compare the success of public institutions across the country in fulfilling their core undergraduate mission - ensuring students complete a credential in a timely manner.
INSTITUTION2017-182018-192019-202020-21 Baseline2021-222022-232023-24 Target
Eastern Kentucky University
Overall50.9%50.0%52.3%52.3%53.5%55.0%56.0%
URM*38.8%34.0%38.2%38.3%40.5%45.9%42.3%
Low-Income41.9%38.3%43.4%44.0%44.4%45.3%48.0%
Kentucky State University
Overall16.3%25.8%30.3%38.2%33.3%28.4%40.0%
URM14.5%24.2%27.3%41.1%32.7%27.7%33.0%
Low-Income15.8%21.5%29.2%37.3%34.2%26.4%34.3%
Morehead State University
Overall44.9%45.9%42.6%44.7%49.0%49.3%48.5%
URM37.9%43.4%34.4%33.1%38.2%41.0%36.9%
Low-Income38.6%36.9%32.9%35.6%39.0%41.9%39.4%
Murray State University
Overall55.4%54.6%53.1%56.0%61.7%62.8%60.0%
URM41.6%37.2%33.3%39.9%47.6%48.8%44.9%
Low-Income42.7%38.6%40.3%41.3%53.7%50.9%46.3%
Northern Kentucky University
Overall43.8%47.7%48.2%49.7%51.7%49.5%54.0%
URM34.8%38.0%39.8%41.1%43.9%39.3%45.9%
Low-Income32.7%36.7%36.4%36.9%38.3%38.4%41.7%
Western Kentucky University
Overall53.4%51.6%55.1%57.4%54.0%56.1%59.0%
URM33.6%34.7%36.9%40.7%33.3%36.1%43.0%
Low-Income39.9%38.3%41.5%43.2%40.4%42.3%45.0%
*Underrepresented minoritized students (URM) include Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and two or more races. Low-income students are Pell grant recipients during their year of entry.
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education