Are you thinking about getting a doctoral degree but you are unsure of how to prepare to
set yourself up for successful completion? You are rightly so, because it is a big step of
commitment, dedication and hard work.
Always look before jumping into unfamiliar territory. Keep in mind that your future is
in your hands. Therefore, it is your duty to yourself to know the full scope of a doctoral
program so you can plan wisely.
Stats for Doctoral Program Completion
With the above information in mind, let’s take a look at the outcomes regarding
attrition, which can be intimidating. However, it does not have to be that way. Being
aware of the stats will help when you set up your success plan for the doctoral program.
Reports from studies indicate that approximately 40% to 60% of doctoral and PhD
students do not complete their programs.
Factors Contributing to the Doctoral Completion Rates:
 Doctoral programs are extremely competitive. That is representative of fewer
than 2% of adults in the U.S. hold a PhD or Professional Doctorate.
 Doctoral programs are rigorous and require a great deal of sacrifice of time and
work balance.
 Most students entering doctoral programs do not have a support system
 Students are not always prepared for the challenges, requirements and
expectations needed for successful program completion
Studies on Doctoral Completion Rate:
 A study done by Dissertation Genius1 reports that attrition rates are very high.
The rates range anywhere from one-third to one-half of those enrolled in a
doctoral program will not complete the program. They also report that those
rates have been fairly stable over the past three decades.
 A study done by Happy PhD2 reports even higher completion rates of 40%-60%
do not complete their program.
 A study done by The Council of Graduate Schools3 looked at 49,000 students
attending 30 institutions in 54 disciplines comprising of 330 programs reports
that the ten- year completion rate after students begin their doctoral program
remained at 56%. Which means 43.4% of students will not complete their
program.
These studies are just a few of many that support the same findings of dismal
doctoral program completion rates.
It does not have to be that way! Be prepared for the challenges