This study examines the retention of vocational education graduates in public higher education. Using 2,172 students who graduated vocational education programs in Area Vocational Technical Schools and enrolled as freshman (first-time young students) in public two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the 1996 fall semester, the author conducted cohort analyses to exam the retention trend by gender and race. This study found that retention rates of vocational education graduates are lower than those of general students in both two-year and four-year public colleges and universities. Related policy implications are discussed.