by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 63% students making it past their freshmen year, Chesapeake 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 | |
|---|---|
| Chesapeake College | 63% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
There were approximately 185 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 Chesapeake College graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 165 | 20% |
| Six Years | 185 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 21 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 610 | 75% |
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 610 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 610 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
246 transferred to another institution.
Chesapeake College lost contact with the remaining 364 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 246 | 40.3% |
| Dropped Out | 364 | 59.7% |
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 Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake College represent 38.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Chesapeake College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Chesapeake College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 29% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 47.82% |
213 first-time / full-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
99 transferred to another institution.
Chesapeake College lost contact with the remaining 114 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 99 | 46.48% |
| Dropped Out | 114 | 53.52% |
First-time / part-time students at Chesapeake College represent 43.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Chesapeake College graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Chesapeake College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
297 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
86 transferred to another institution.
Chesapeake College lost contact with the remaining 211 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 86 | 28.96% |
| Dropped Out | 211 | 71.04% |
Returning / full-time students at Chesapeake College represent 6.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Chesapeake College graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | Chesapeake College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 48% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 55.07% |
28 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
21 transferred to another institution.
Chesapeake College lost contact with the remaining 7 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 21 | 75.00% |
| Dropped Out | 7 | 25.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Chesapeake College represent 11.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Chesapeake College graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | Chesapeake College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 25% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 37.80% |
72 non first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
40 transferred to another institution.
Chesapeake College lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 40 | 55.56% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 44.44% |
