Locations
Maine
Statistics on children, youth and families in Maine from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Maine Children's Alliance
Why This Indicator Matters
Students who gain a credential of an associates degree or a bachelor's degree have a higher likelihood of maintaining employment at a wage that will allow them to meet their economic needs. Students who begin college immediately after high school graduation or within one year are more likely to graduate.
What the data shows
For college students who first enrolled in a four-year college, the rate of continuing to a second year was 89% to 90% for the classes of 2013- 2017. Beginning with the high school class of 2018, college persistence dropped, likely due to the practice of hybrid and online options only due to the pandemic. The high school class of 2018 had second year enrollment counted for the fall of 2020 and it was 86.2% for four-year colleges. This lower return rate to four-year institutions continued for the classes of 2019 and 2020. It was 85.8% for the class of 2019 and 83.0% for the class of 2020. Among students who first enrolled at a two-year college, there was a similar pattern. In the fall of 2020, 57.2% returned of the high school class of 2019 returned for a second year of college, compared to 63% to 66% in previous years. The total number of Maine students from the high school class of 2020 who were in either type of college for a second year was 5,638 students. This was more than 2,000 fewer college students than in 2010.
show more
What the data shows
For college students who first enrolled in a four-year college, the rate of continuing to a second year was 89% to 90% for the classes of 2013- 2017. Beginning with the high school class of 2018, college persistence dropped, likely due to the practice of hybrid and online options only due to the pandemic. The high school class of 2018 had second year enrollment counted for the fall of 2020 and it was 86.2% for four-year colleges. This lower return rate to four-year institutions continued for the classes of 2019 and 2020. It was 85.8% for the class of 2019 and 83.0% for the class of 2020. Among students who first enrolled at a two-year college, there was a similar pattern. In the fall of 2020, 57.2% returned of the high school class of 2019 returned for a second year of college, compared to 63% to 66% in previous years. The total number of Maine students from the high school class of 2020 who were in either type of college for a second year was 5,638 students. This was more than 2,000 fewer college students than in 2010.
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
College persistence to a second year measures the number of students who remained enrolled (persisted) in post-secondary education from the first year to the second year, this includes students who remained enrolled at any post-secondary institution, not retention at the same institution. The year refers to the year of graduation from high school, so 2020 is high school students who graduated in 2020, did they enroll in a second year of college by September 2022.
Data Source
National Student Clearinghouse Report run for Maine Department of Education 7/21/2023,NSC Student Tracker Report -2022 Table on page 21, "Count of Students Enrolled in College the First Year After High School Who Returned for a Second Year (Freshman to Sophomore Persistence)"
Last Updated
August 2023