by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Columbia Junior 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 Columbia Junior 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 58% students making it past their freshmen year, Columbia Junior 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Columbia Junior College | 58% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 294 students in the class of 2023 actually finished 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, 24% 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 Columbia Junior College graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 249 | 20% |
| Six Years | 294 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 17 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 928 | 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 928 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 928 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
284 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Junior College lost contact with the remaining 631 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 284 | 30.6% |
| Dropped Out | 631 | 68.0% |
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 Columbia Junior 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 Columbia College represent 20.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Junior College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Columbia Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
166 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
44 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Junior College lost contact with the remaining 119 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.81% |
| Transferred | 44 | 26.51% |
| Dropped Out | 119 | 71.69% |
First-time / part-time students at Columbia College represent 33.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Junior College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Columbia Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
311 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Junior College lost contact with the remaining 250 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.93% |
| Transferred | 55 | 17.68% |
| Dropped Out | 250 | 80.39% |
Returning / full-time students at Columbia College represent 9.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Junior College graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | Columbia Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 38% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 55.07% |
67 non first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Junior College lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 36 | 53.73% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 44.78% |
Returning / part-time students at Columbia College represent 37.21% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Columbia Junior College graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Columbia Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
384 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
149 transferred to another institution.
Columbia Junior College lost contact with the remaining 232 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 149 | 38.80% |
| Dropped Out | 232 | 60.42% |
