by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding CSUSM 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 79% students making it past their freshmen year, CSUSM 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 | |
|---|---|
| CSUSM | 79% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 2492 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 44% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 65% of the students had graduated and after eight years 67% 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 CSUSM graduation rate 65%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1699 | 44% |
| Six Years | 2492 | 65% |
| Eight Years | 87 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1248 | 33% |
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 1248 students or 33% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1248 students who did not complete their degree?
27 are still enrolled.
747 transferred to another institution.
CSUSM lost contact with the remaining 468 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 2.2% |
| Transferred | 747 | 59.9% |
| Dropped Out | 468 | 37.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 17% |
| Asian | 54% |
| Black / African-American | 44% |
| Hawaiian | 33% |
| Hispanic | 53% |
| International | 52% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 49% |
| Unknown | 55% |
| White | 60% |
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.
The majority of students at CSUSM are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at California State University-San Marcos represent 53.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUSM graduation rate was 57%, and by the eight year mark, 60% 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 | CSUSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 57% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 60% | 47.82% |
831 first-time / full-time students or 40% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
27 are still enrolled.
535 transferred to another institution.
CSUSM lost contact with the remaining 269 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 3.25% |
| Transferred | 535 | 64.38% |
| Dropped Out | 269 | 32.37% |
First-time / part-time students at California State University-San Marcos represent 2.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUSM graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | CSUSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 31% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 23.72% |
69 first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
32 transferred to another institution.
CSUSM lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 32 | 46.38% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 53.62% |
Returning / full-time students at California State University-San Marcos represent 31.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUSM graduation rate was 82%, and by the eight year mark, 83% 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 | CSUSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 82% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 83% | 55.07% |
205 non first-time / part-time students or 17% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
104 transferred to another institution.
CSUSM lost contact with the remaining 95 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.93% |
| Transferred | 104 | 50.73% |
| Dropped Out | 95 | 46.34% |
Returning / part-time students at California State University-San Marcos represent 12.07% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CSUSM graduation rate was 68%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | CSUSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 61% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 68% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 37.80% |
143 non first-time / part-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
76 transferred to another institution.
CSUSM lost contact with the remaining 67 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 76 | 53.15% |
| Dropped Out | 67 | 46.85% |
