Kentucky ranks second in the nation in college completion gains

January 09, 2025

From 2023 to 2024, Kentucky increased its six-year postsecondary completion rate by 2.8 percentage points, from 59.4% to 62.2%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center. This was second only to Utah, which saw its completion rate rise by 2.9 points. With this gain, Kentucky surpassed the national completion rate of 61.1%.

NSC’s completion rate measures how many full-time or part-time undergraduate students enrolled at two- and four-year postsecondary institutions (both public and private) complete a college credential within six years at any U.S. college or university. Unlike graduation rates —which look only at first-time, full-time students who complete a credential at their native institution — completion rates provide a fuller picture of an entire cohort’s journey to a postsecondary credential, including transfer and part-time students.

“I am thrilled but not surprised to see Kentucky higher education among the top states in college completion gains,” said Dr. Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. “For several years, CPE has been working with institutions to improve transfer, increase dual credit, and enhance advising and other student supports, including more need-based financial assistance. All these efforts are paying off in terms of higher retention and completion.”

According to NSC, only 10 states saw six-year completion rate gains of one percentage point or more: Arizona, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Of the 50 states, Alaska has the lowest six-year completion rate (35.1%) while Rhode Island has the highest (72.2%).

The entire report can be accessed at https://nscresearchcenter.org/yearly-progress-and-completion/.