Expected timeline for College Graduation

Hey everyone, I'm a junior planning out my future and was wondering, on average, when do most people finish their college degree? Is it typically 4 years after high school graduation or does it vary?

The traditional timeline for a bachelor's degree in the United States is indeed four years after high school graduation. Students usually graduate in their early to mid twenties, depending on when they started and if they took any gap years. However, it's worth noting that this isn't the case for everyone.

Changes in degree length can be due to many factors. For example, some students might take longer if they change their major partway through, need to complete additional prerequisites, or choose to study part-time while they work or take care of family. Others might finish in fewer than four years if they bring in a substantial amount of AP, IB, or dual-enrollment credits from high school or if they opt to take a heavier course load or attend school during the summer.

These changes are quite common, and according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, as of 2020, about 62% of students at four-year institutions had completed their degrees within six years.

So while the typical expectation is four years, there's quite a bit of flexibility based on your individual circumstances. The most important thing is to plan out your course schedules carefully, keep track of your degree requirements, and maintain a regular communication with your academic advisor throughout your college journey.