by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Cecil College 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 Cecil College. 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 62% students making it past their freshmen year, Cecil 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Cecil College | 62% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
There were approximately 163 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 21% 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 Cecil College graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 129 | 15% |
| Six Years | 163 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 15 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 685 | 79% |
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 685 students or 79% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 685 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
255 transferred to another institution.
Cecil College lost contact with the remaining 414 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 255 | 37.2% |
| Dropped Out | 414 | 60.4% |
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 Cecil College 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 Cecil College represent 33.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cecil College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Cecil College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 21% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 47.82% |
221 first-time / full-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
85 transferred to another institution.
Cecil College lost contact with the remaining 132 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.81% |
| Transferred | 85 | 38.46% |
| Dropped Out | 132 | 59.73% |
First-time / part-time students at Cecil College represent 45.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cecil College graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | Cecil College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
341 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
Cecil College lost contact with the remaining 223 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.93% |
| Transferred | 108 | 31.67% |
| Dropped Out | 223 | 65.40% |
Returning / full-time students at Cecil College represent 8.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cecil College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Cecil College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
40 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
19 transferred to another institution.
Cecil College lost contact with the remaining 19 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 5.00% |
| Transferred | 19 | 47.50% |
| Dropped Out | 19 | 47.50% |
Returning / part-time students at Cecil College represent 13.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cecil College graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Cecil College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 26% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 37.80% |
83 non first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
43 transferred to another institution.
Cecil College lost contact with the remaining 40 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 43 | 51.81% |
| Dropped Out | 40 | 48.19% |
