by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many BC 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 BC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
How many of the estimated 3468 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 45% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 48% of the students had graduated and after eight years 49% 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 BC graduation rate 48%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3208 | 45% |
| Six Years | 3468 | 48% |
| Eight Years | 76 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3640 | 51% |
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 3640 students or 51% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3640 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1397 transferred to another institution.
BC lost contact with the remaining 2173 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1397 | 38.4% |
| Dropped Out | 2173 | 59.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 38% |
| Black / African-American | 20% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 28% |
| International | 25% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 33% |
| Unknown | 34% |
| White | 36% |
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 BC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Bellevue College represent 12.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BC graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | BC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
495 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
223 transferred to another institution.
BC lost contact with the remaining 266 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.21% |
| Transferred | 223 | 45.05% |
| Dropped Out | 266 | 53.74% |
First-time / part-time students at Bellevue College represent 11.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BC graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | BC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 24% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
629 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
279 transferred to another institution.
BC lost contact with the remaining 339 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 279 | 44.36% |
| Dropped Out | 339 | 53.90% |
Returning / full-time students at Bellevue College represent 25.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BC graduation rate was 65%, and by the eight year mark, 65% 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 | BC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 65% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 65% | 55.07% |
629 non first-time / part-time students or 35% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
240 transferred to another institution.
BC lost contact with the remaining 375 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 2.23% |
| Transferred | 240 | 38.16% |
| Dropped Out | 375 | 59.62% |
Returning / part-time students at Bellevue College represent 50.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BC graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | BC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 47% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
1887 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
39 are still enrolled.
655 transferred to another institution.
BC lost contact with the remaining 1193 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 39 | 2.07% |
| Transferred | 655 | 34.71% |
| Dropped Out | 1193 | 63.22% |
