by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SAC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at SAC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
How many of the estimated 2048 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 18% of the students had graduated and after eight years 20% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical SAC graduation rate 18%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1777 | 15% |
| Six Years | 2048 | 18% |
| Eight Years | 313 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 9224 | 80% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 9224 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 9224 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2490 transferred to another institution.
SAC lost contact with the remaining 6492 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2490 | 27.0% |
| Dropped Out | 6492 | 70.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 57% |
| Black / African-American | 53% |
| Hispanic | 29% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 18% |
| Unknown | 15% |
| White | 38% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at SAC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Santa Ana College represent 16.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SAC graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
1129 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
40 are still enrolled.
224 transferred to another institution.
SAC lost contact with the remaining 865 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 40 | 3.54% |
| Transferred | 224 | 19.84% |
| Dropped Out | 865 | 76.62% |
First-time / part-time students at Santa Ana College represent 41.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SAC graduation rate was 9%, and by the eight year mark, 11% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 9% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 23.72% |
4302 first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
109 are still enrolled.
312 transferred to another institution.
SAC lost contact with the remaining 3881 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 109 | 2.53% |
| Transferred | 312 | 7.25% |
| Dropped Out | 3881 | 90.21% |
Returning / full-time students at Santa Ana College represent 4.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SAC graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 44% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 55.07% |
307 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
SAC lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.61% |
| Transferred | 129 | 42.02% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 55.37% |
Returning / part-time students at Santa Ana College represent 36.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SAC graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 18% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 37.80% |
3486 non first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
85 are still enrolled.
1825 transferred to another institution.
SAC lost contact with the remaining 1576 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 85 | 2.44% |
| Transferred | 1825 | 52.35% |
| Dropped Out | 1576 | 45.21% |
