How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose learners enrolled.
- Enter or choose learners excluded.
- Enter or choose learners who completed.
- Enter or choose target completion rate.
- The completion rate updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Method
Completion rate = Completed ÷ (Enrolled − Excluded) × 100; Needed for target = ⌈Target% × (Enrolled − Excluded)⌉ − Completed
- Enrolled
- learners who started
- Excluded
- learners removed from the denominator by your policy
- Completed
- learners who met the completion criteria
Worked example
- Learners counted = 250 − 10 = 240.
- Completion rate = 168 ÷ 240 = 70%.
- A 75% target needs 0.75 × 240 = 180 completers, 12 more than now.
168 of 240 counted learners finished, a 70% completion rate; 12 more completions would reach 75%.
What the result means
Always report the denominator with the rate. Self-paced online courses often finish in the low teens, while cohort-based or required training is usually much higher, so compare like with like.
Assumptions and limits
- Every learner counted had the same chance and time to complete.
- A single rate hides when learners drop out; look at module-by-module completion to find the problem.
Questions
Should withdrawals be excluded?
Only if your reporting rules say so, for example withdrawals before a census date. Excluding too many flatters the rate.
Is completion the same as pass rate?
No. Pass rate divides passes by those who sat the assessment; completion divides by everyone who enrolled.