by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Bergen Community College 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Bergen Community 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 New Jersey, the average is 74.83%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Bergen Community College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
Of the 2703 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 34% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 39% of the students had graduated and after eight years 40% 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 Bergen Community College graduation rate 39%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2394 | 34% |
| Six Years | 2703 | 39% |
| Eight Years | 97 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4150 | 60% |
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 4150 students or 60% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4150 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1612 transferred to another institution.
Bergen Community College lost contact with the remaining 2475 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1612 | 38.8% |
| Dropped Out | 2475 | 59.6% |
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 Bergen Community 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 Bergen Community College represent 44.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bergen Community College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Bergen Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
2010 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
752 transferred to another institution.
Bergen Community College lost contact with the remaining 1229 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 1.44% |
| Transferred | 752 | 37.41% |
| Dropped Out | 1229 | 61.14% |
First-time / part-time students at Bergen Community College represent 15.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bergen Community College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Bergen Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
835 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
257 transferred to another institution.
Bergen Community College lost contact with the remaining 565 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 1.56% |
| Transferred | 257 | 30.78% |
| Dropped Out | 565 | 67.66% |
Returning / full-time students at Bergen Community College represent 18.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bergen Community College graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | Bergen Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 52% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 55.07% |
597 non first-time / part-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
300 transferred to another institution.
Bergen Community College lost contact with the remaining 285 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 2.01% |
| Transferred | 300 | 50.25% |
| Dropped Out | 285 | 47.74% |
Returning / part-time students at Bergen Community College represent 21.34% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bergen Community College graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% 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 | Bergen Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 48% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 51% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 37.80% |
708 non first-time / part-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
303 transferred to another institution.
Bergen Community College lost contact with the remaining 396 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 303 | 42.80% |
| Dropped Out | 396 | 55.93% |
