by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many South Coast College 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 South Coast College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 50% students making it past their freshmen year, South Coast College has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| South Coast College | 50% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 29 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 21% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 31% 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 South Coast College graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22 | 21% |
| Six Years | 29 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 71 | 69% |
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 71 students or 69% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 71 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
South Coast College lost contact with the remaining 64 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 7 | 9.9% |
| Dropped Out | 64 | 90.1% |
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 South Coast College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at South Coast College represent 17.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Coast College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | South Coast College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 39% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 47.82% |
11 first-time / full-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
South Coast College lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 18.18% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 81.82% |
First-time / part-time students at South Coast College represent 2.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Coast College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | South Coast College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 33% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
2 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
South Coast College lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 2 | 100.00% |
Returning / full-time students at South Coast College represent 56.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Coast College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | South Coast College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
37 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
South Coast College lost contact with the remaining 33 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 10.81% |
| Dropped Out | 33 | 89.19% |
Returning / part-time students at South Coast College represent 23.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Coast College graduation rate was 4%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | South Coast College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 4% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 37.80% |
21 non first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
South Coast College lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.76% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 95.24% |
