by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Community College of Philadelphia 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 60% students making it past their freshmen year, Community College of Philadelphia 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Community College of Philadelphia | 60% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
Of the 1315 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 14% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 18% of the students had graduated and after eight years 18% 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 Community College of Philadelphia graduation rate 18%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 978 | 14% |
| Six Years | 1315 | 18% |
| Eight Years | 0 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 5795 | 82% |
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 5795 students or 82% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 5795 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1893 transferred to another institution.
Community College of Philadelphia lost contact with the remaining 3766 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1893 | 32.7% |
| Dropped Out | 3766 | 65.0% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at Community College of Philadelphia 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 Community College of Philadelphia represent 29.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Community College of Philadelphia graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Community College of Philadelphia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 47.82% |
1588 first-time / full-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
32 are still enrolled.
594 transferred to another institution.
Community College of Philadelphia lost contact with the remaining 962 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 32 | 2.02% |
| Transferred | 594 | 37.41% |
| Dropped Out | 962 | 60.58% |
First-time / part-time students at Community College of Philadelphia represent 58.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Community College of Philadelphia graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 12% 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 | Community College of Philadelphia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 23.72% |
3653 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
90 are still enrolled.
1028 transferred to another institution.
Community College of Philadelphia lost contact with the remaining 2535 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 90 | 2.46% |
| Transferred | 1028 | 28.14% |
| Dropped Out | 2535 | 69.40% |
Returning / full-time students at Community College of Philadelphia represent 4.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Community College of Philadelphia 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 | Community College of Philadelphia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
186 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
100 transferred to another institution.
Community College of Philadelphia lost contact with the remaining 81 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.69% |
| Transferred | 100 | 53.76% |
| Dropped Out | 81 | 43.55% |
Returning / part-time students at Community College of Philadelphia represent 7.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Community College of Philadelphia graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Community College of Philadelphia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
368 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
171 transferred to another institution.
Community College of Philadelphia lost contact with the remaining 188 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.45% |
| Transferred | 171 | 46.47% |
| Dropped Out | 188 | 51.09% |
