by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Butte 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 68% students making it past their freshmen year, Butte 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 | |
|---|---|
| Butte College | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1444 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 37% 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 Butte College graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1312 | 31% |
| Six Years | 1444 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 81 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2651 | 63% |
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 2651 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2651 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1034 transferred to another institution.
Butte College lost contact with the remaining 1550 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1034 | 39.0% |
| Dropped Out | 1550 | 58.5% |
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 Butte College 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 Butte College represent 35.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Butte College graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | Butte College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
791 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
231 transferred to another institution.
Butte College lost contact with the remaining 529 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 3.92% |
| Transferred | 231 | 29.20% |
| Dropped Out | 529 | 66.88% |
First-time / part-time students at Butte College represent 22.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Butte College graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Butte College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
644 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
124 transferred to another institution.
Butte College lost contact with the remaining 501 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.95% |
| Transferred | 124 | 19.25% |
| Dropped Out | 501 | 77.80% |
Returning / full-time students at Butte College represent 17.65% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Butte College graduation rate was 43%, 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 | Butte College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 43% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 55.07% |
414 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.
237 transferred to another institution.
Butte College lost contact with the remaining 169 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.93% |
| Transferred | 237 | 57.25% |
| Dropped Out | 169 | 40.82% |
Returning / part-time students at Butte College represent 24.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Butte College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Butte College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
802 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
442 transferred to another institution.
Butte College lost contact with the remaining 351 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.12% |
| Transferred | 442 | 55.11% |
| Dropped Out | 351 | 43.77% |
