by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many COM 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 COM. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
How many of the estimated 446 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 27% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 32% of the students had graduated and after eight years 34% 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 COM graduation rate 32%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 385 | 27% |
| Six Years | 446 | 32% |
| Eight Years | 28 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 927 | 66% |
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 927 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 927 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
467 transferred to another institution.
COM lost contact with the remaining 429 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 467 | 50.4% |
| Dropped Out | 429 | 46.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 33% |
| Black / African-American | 19% |
| Hispanic | 33% |
| White | 29% |
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 COM are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at College of the Mainland represent 18.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the COM graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | COM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 39% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 47.82% |
153 first-time / full-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
66 transferred to another institution.
COM lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.96% |
| Transferred | 66 | 43.14% |
| Dropped Out | 84 | 54.90% |
First-time / part-time students at College of the Mainland represent 31.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the COM graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | COM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 23.72% |
314 first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
120 transferred to another institution.
COM lost contact with the remaining 178 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 5.10% |
| Transferred | 120 | 38.22% |
| Dropped Out | 178 | 56.69% |
Returning / full-time students at College of the Mainland represent 13.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the COM graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | COM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 40% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 55.07% |
105 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
COM lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.86% |
| Transferred | 55 | 52.38% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 44.76% |
Returning / part-time students at College of the Mainland represent 37.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the COM 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | COM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
355 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
226 transferred to another institution.
COM lost contact with the remaining 120 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.54% |
| Transferred | 226 | 63.66% |
| Dropped Out | 120 | 33.80% |
