Ph.D. Completion and Attrition

CGS Board of DirectorsDecember 4, 2007

Analysis - Sample Results Completion

• 10-. 7-, and 4-year• By institution type (public vs. private)• By cohort size

Attrition• 10-. 7-, and 4-year• By institution type (public vs. private)• By cohort size• Early attrition

Continuing students

Cohort Definitions for Baseline Data Analysis

A-Cohorts (10-year cohorts)• Students enrolling in 1992-93; 1993-94; 1994-

95• 12,135 students (313 programs)

B-Cohorts (7-year cohorts)• Students enrolling in 1995-96; 1996-97; 1997-

98• 11,697 students (320 programs)

C-Cohorts (4-year cohorts)• Students enrolling in 1998-99; 1999-2000;

2000-01• 12,125 students (323 programs)

Average Overall Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering Doctoral Programs from

1992-93 through 1994-95

4.5

10.5

22.5

36.1

45.5

50.9

54.656.6

020

4060

Cu

mu

lati

ve C

om

ple

tio

n R

ate

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Attrition Rates for StudentsEntering from 1992-93 through 1994-

95

6.6

13.8

19.9

23.6

25.4

2728.4

29.530.2 30.6

010

2030

Cu

mu

lati

ve A

ttri

tio

n R

ate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering

from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Broad Field

010

2030

4050

6070

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Co

mp

leti

on

Ra

te

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Year

Engineering Life Sciences

Mathematics & Physical Sciences Social Sciences

Humanities

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

56.8

53.7

48.2

40.9

29.3

63.662.9

55.954.7

49.3

Ten-year Attrition Rates for Students Entering

from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Broad Field

510

1520

2530

3540

Cu

mu

lati

ve A

ttri

tio

n R

ate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Year

Engineering Life Sciences

Mathematics & Physical Sciences Social Sciences

Humanities

NOTE: 10-Year Attrition Rates include all cohorts entering 1992-93 through 1994-95

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Completion Rates for Mathematics & Physical Science Students Entering from

1992-93 through 1994-950

1020

3040

5060

70C

um

ula

tive

Co

mp

leti

on

Rat

e

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10year

Chemistry Computer and Information Sciences

Mathematics Physics and Astronomy

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering Mathematics & Physical Sciences Disciplines from 1992-93 through 1994-95

510

1520

2530

3540

4550

Cu

mu

lati

ve A

ttri

tio

n R

ate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Year

Chemistry Computer and Information Sciences

Mathematics Physics and Astronomy

NOTE: 10-Year Attrition Rates include all cohorts entering 1992-93 through 1994-95

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Completion Rates by Institution Type for Students Entering from 1992-93 through

1994-950

1020

3040

5060

Cu

mu

lati

ve C

om

ple

tio

n R

ate

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Year

Private Public

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Ten-Year Completion Rates by Cohort Size for Students Entering from 1992-93

through 1994-950

1020

3040

5060

Cu

mu

lati

ve C

om

ple

tio

n R

ate

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Year

Small Medium

Large

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Small: 1-7Medium: 8-14Large: 15+

Comparison of Seven-Year Completion Rates

between A- and B- Cohorts, by Broad Field

30.5

29.3

40.2

40.9

47.5

48.2

53.2

53.7

53.9

56.8

0 10 20 30 40 50 60Cumulative Completion Rate

Humanities

Social Sciences

Mathematics & Physical Sciences

Life Sciences

Engineering

NOTE: A-cohorts include all students entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all students entering 1995-96 through 1997-98

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

A-cohorts B-cohorts

Mathematics & Physical Sciences

Early Attrition(Years 1-4)

Components of Early Attrition•Without a master’s•With master’s, without

candidacy•With master’s, with candidacy•Transfer

Components of Early Attrition (Years 1-4)

02

46

8P

erce

nt

Att

riti

on

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

A B C A B C A B C A B C

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program DataNOTE: A-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 C-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1998-99 through 2000-01

No Master's Master's, No CandidacyMaster's, With Candidacy Transferred

Early Attrition (Years 1-4) Ratesfor A-, B- and C-Cohorts

20.2

24.2

23.6

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24Attrition Rate

NOTE: A-cohorts include all students entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all students entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 C-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1998-99 through 2000-01

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

A B

C

Four-Year Continuing, Completion, and Attrition Rates for A-, B- and

C-Cohorts

72.7 7.1 20.2

67.5 8.3 24.2

65.9 10.5 23.6

0 20 40 60 80 100Rates

C

B

A

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Continuing Completion Attrition

Four-Year Continuing, Completion, and Attrition Rates by Cohort Year

75.0 6.5 18.5

73.0 6.8 20.2

70.1 8.1 21.9

68.5 8.6 22.9

66.6 8.1 25.2

67.3 8.2 24.4

66.5 8.8 24.6

67.5 9.0 23.5

63.8 13.4 22.8

0 20 40 60 80 100Rates

2000-01

1999-2000

1998-99

1997-98

1996-97

1995-96

1994-95

1993-94

1992-93

Source: Council of Graduate SchoolsCompletion and Attrition Program Data

Continuing Completion Attrition