High attrition rates in doctoral programs have long plagued the field of higher education. Over the past half century, approximately half of all students who enroll in doctoral program at North American institutions fail to earn their degree (Lovitts, 2001; OECD, 2020; Schneider & Yin, 2011; Sverdlik et al., 2018). The purpose of this study was to identify the professional, personal, and program-related factors influencing EdD degree completion and noncompletion, as reported by students who either completed or failed to complete their EdD program. This study used interview methodology to collect twenty-five hours of data from nine completers and seven non-completers. Findings from this study generated 11 themes that influenced EdD completion. Broad themes from in the completer sample include: the ability to positively manage the dilemmas experienced throughout their EdD journey and the conditions in place allowing the completers the requisite time needed to meet their rigorous EdD demands. Additionally, findings also consider the EdD non-completer, distilling nine themes into two broad themes, including the ways that EdD program-related challenges influenced EdD outcomes and the ways competing interests impacted student academic motivation and availability of time. Two cross-over themes related to the benefits of the cohort model and importance of program coherence are also discussed. This study provided the field with updated research on the factors contributing to why students complete, or fail to complete, an EdD doctoral program in educational leadership, from a sampling of several accredited, not-for-profit colleges and universities in the United States. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]