by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CSUB 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 CSUB. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 79% students making it past their freshmen year, CSUB has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| CSUB | 79% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1887 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 48% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 64% of the students had graduated and after eight years 66% 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 CSUB graduation rate 64%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1418 | 48% |
| Six Years | 1887 | 64% |
| Eight Years | 66 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1014 | 34% |
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 1014 students or 34% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1014 students who did not complete their degree?
30 are still enrolled.
524 transferred to another institution.
CSUB lost contact with the remaining 450 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 30 | 3.0% |
| Transferred | 524 | 51.7% |
| Dropped Out | 450 | 44.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 62% |
| Black / African-American | 40% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 49% |
| International | 57% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 43% |
| Unknown | 56% |
| White | 47% |
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 CSUB are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at California State University-Bakersfield represent 44.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUB graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | CSUB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 49% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
627 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
31 are still enrolled.
320 transferred to another institution.
CSUB lost contact with the remaining 276 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 31 | 4.94% |
| Transferred | 320 | 51.04% |
| Dropped Out | 276 | 44.02% |
First-time / part-time students at California State University-Bakersfield represent 2.70% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUB graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | CSUB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
55 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
35 transferred to another institution.
CSUB lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 35 | 63.64% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 36.36% |
Returning / full-time students at California State University-Bakersfield represent 41.76% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUB graduation rate was 81%, and by the eight year mark, 82% 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 | CSUB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 81% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 82% | 55.07% |
226 non first-time / part-time students or 18% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
117 transferred to another institution.
CSUB lost contact with the remaining 101 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.54% |
| Transferred | 117 | 51.77% |
| Dropped Out | 101 | 44.69% |
Returning / part-time students at California State University-Bakersfield represent 11.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUB graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 68% 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 | CSUB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 57% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 66% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 37.80% |
106 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
CSUB lost contact with the remaining 53 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.94% |
| Transferred | 52 | 49.06% |
| Dropped Out | 53 | 50.00% |
