Data: At What Age Do Students Graduate From College? - Salarship

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Students Now Graduate With a Bachelor’s at Age 23

Written by Nathan Brunner.

Last updated on March 9, 2024.

A fact sheet published by the NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) indicates that most students now earn a bachelor’s degree between the ages of 22 and 24.

The median graduation age is now 23. However, students who take a gap year after high school or fail a few classes typically graduate at age 24 or older.

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Graduating Statistics

We have gathered statistics about the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree from the NCES and the age at which people enter college. By combining these two statistics, we can describe the typical timeline of college graduates.

Most Student Graduate Within 50 Months

According to the NCES, 44% of Bachelor’s degree graduates complete the degree in 48 months or less (4 years or less). Half of the students aged 23 or younger graduate in 45 months or less (3.75 years or less).

With this information, we can conclude that students who start college at 18 tend to graduate within four years or drop out and continue college later in life.

However, some students get their bachelor’s degree at a slower pace than others, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Statistics show that the longer you wait to enroll in college, the longer it will take you to graduate. For example, students age 30 or older take the most time to get a Bachelor’s degree.

There Are Significant Differences Between Sex, Age, and Race

The time it takes to complete a degree can change depending on your sex, age, race, whether you are dependent or independent, and whether you attended a private or public school. Aside from that, private matters, financial situations, health issues, families, and jobs might delay graduation.

First of all, it is interesting to note that college graduation takes longer for females.

Sex	Average number of months to get a Bachelor’s degree
Male	52
Female	55

Education statistics indicate that ethnicity significantly influences the number of months it takes to get a Bachelor’s degree.

Race/ethnicity	Average number of months to get a Bachelor’s degree
White	52
Black	64
Hispanic	58
Asian	48

Finally, students enrolled in a for-profit institution take longer to get a college degree.

Institution	Number of months to get a Bachelor’s degree
Public	56
Private nonprofit	45
Private for-profit	104

Interesting Statistics

• According to EducationData, 63.8% of college students who enroll in bachelor’s programs at age 18 years or younger graduate within five years.
• According to EducationData, the average age for students enrolled full-time in undergraduate programs is 21.8 years old; the average age of part-time students is 27.2 years.
• Two million college graduates earn bachelor’s degrees every year. About 1.8 million graduate students are enrolled in graduate certificate, master’s, or doctoral programs at U.S. graduate schools (source: National Center for Education Statistics).
• One million college graduates earn associate’s degrees every year (source: National Center for Education Statistics).

Some Students Complete Fewer Credits per Semester

After high school graduation, some students decide to take fewer credits per semester.

If you have health concerns, kids, or anything that can take away your time and concentration during one semester, then it makes sense to adjust to fewer credits for that time. And when there is a semester where your schedule looks light, you can consider taking 12 or more credits.

It is crucial to take school at a pace that works well for you to pass your classes. For instance, if you are getting married during a semester, you are probably busy planning, visiting family, and attending different events, so taking 12 credits might be too much for you to handle. But if you take only the classes you have time for, then you are still slowly but surely heading towards graduation.

Final Discussion About College Graduation Time

Life is a rollercoaster that takes you up and down, and it can throw things at you that you didn’t see coming.

Because life is unpredictable, you can graduate sooner or later than you planned. You might even change your mind and take on another major!

Many students experience life changes that can influence how much time they have to study, attend classes, and do homework.

If a life change arises, talk with your teachers about accommodations you may need to help you pass the class. Some professors are more helpful than others but work with them and your school to complete your goal of graduating.

Learn more

• We have also published a report about the demographics of Master’s holders in the U.S.

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