by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding BRCC retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree 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 53% students making it past their freshmen year, BRCC 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 Louisiana, the average is 67.86%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| BRCC | 53% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Louisiana | 67.86% |
How many of the estimated 1078 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 22% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 25% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 BRCC graduation rate 25%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 971 | 22% |
| Six Years | 1078 | 25% |
| Eight Years | 54 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3187 | 74% |
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 3187 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3187 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2173 transferred to another institution.
BRCC lost contact with the remaining 932 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2173 | 68.2% |
| Dropped Out | 932 | 29.2% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 BRCC 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 Baton Rouge Community College represent 37.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BRCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | BRCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 28% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 47.82% |
1142 first-time / full-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
760 transferred to another institution.
BRCC lost contact with the remaining 349 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 2.89% |
| Transferred | 760 | 66.55% |
| Dropped Out | 349 | 30.56% |
First-time / part-time students at Baton Rouge Community College represent 14.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BRCC graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | BRCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
520 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
338 transferred to another institution.
BRCC lost contact with the remaining 165 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 3.27% |
| Transferred | 338 | 65.00% |
| Dropped Out | 165 | 31.73% |
Returning / full-time students at Baton Rouge Community College represent 26.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BRCC graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | BRCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
803 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
572 transferred to another institution.
BRCC lost contact with the remaining 216 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.87% |
| Transferred | 572 | 71.23% |
| Dropped Out | 216 | 26.90% |
Returning / part-time students at Baton Rouge Community College represent 21.82% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BRCC graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | BRCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 37.80% |
722 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
503 transferred to another institution.
BRCC lost contact with the remaining 202 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 2.35% |
| Transferred | 503 | 69.67% |
| Dropped Out | 202 | 27.98% |
