Here's a list of colleges that are not good at their jobs based on one statistic: six-year graduation rate. Education author John Palladino believes a university demonstrates a reasonable dedication to educating students if they have at least a 50% graduation rate. That can be tough at lower tier state schools where students who excel transfer to flagship schools, so failure to retain students isn't always a bad thing. But once retention rates sink well below 50% the reasons are usually related to poor financial aid, poor student support services, and above all, instructors who are unable to engage their students. Many online, for-profit schools are among the biggest culprits when it comes to leaving students with huge debt and no degree.
This list includes colleges with graduation rates under 20% as cited by CollegeFactual, CollegeMeasures.org, or U.S. News & World Report (but see below.)
Public colleges that did not make their graduation rate data available include: Athens State University, Charter Oak State College, Governors State University (not the same as Western Governors University), San Diego State/Imperial Valley, Thomas Edison State College & the University of Baltimore.
Private, non-profit colleges that did not make their graduation rate data available include: Amberton University, Antioch University (Los Angeles), Atlantic Union College, Bethany University, California Institute of Integral Studies, Golden Gate University, John F. Kennedy University, Ottawa University (Kansas), Temple Baptist College & Trinity International University
Proprietary or For-Profit universities that do not make their graduation rate data available include: American Intercontinental University, Argosy University, Capella University, Jones International University, Northcentral University, Patten University, Sullivan University, Walden University. However, Senator Tom Harkin's 2012 investigative report has statistics for some of the schools and their findings are included here, sometimes as corporate performance.
Edit: A friend who teaches secondary school wanted me to point out that many of these public and non-profit schools are Historically Black Colleges or largely serve the Black community or the Native American community. The point being that at least some of these institutions may be the only ones available in a region and need the support to improve instead of left to die.
(By the way, the college engulfed in flames above is (was) not in the United States, but abandoned Alma College in Ontario, Canada.)
http://www.ranker.com/list/worst-u-s-colleges-_based-on-graduation-rates_/admiralcrunch,
American Public University System
2.4% For-profit, West Virginia (Brands include American Public University and American Military University)
Argosy University
4.7% For-profit universities and technical schools (Education Management Corp's brands include Argosy University, South University, and The Art Institutes)
Arkansas Baptist College
4.3% - private college
Auburn University Montgomery
5.5% public college, Alabama
Capella University
2.7% - For Profit university, Minnesota
Concordia College, Selma
5.5% private liberal arts college, Alabama
Chancellor University
4.9% For-profit university, Ohio
Paul Quinn College
0.6% - private religious college, Texas
University of Phoenix
3.6% (online campus) For Profit university
Corinthian Colleges, Inc.
6.1% (for bachelor's programs) Brands include Everest University, Heald College, and WyoTech. Corinthian Colleges, Inc. are in the process of a transferring most of their colleges to other owners subsequent to an agreement with the Federal Government.