by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CCC 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 CCC. 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, CCC has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| CCC | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 547 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 18% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 21% of the students had graduated and after eight years 23% 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 CCC graduation rate 21%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 447 | 18% |
| Six Years | 547 | 21% |
| Eight Years | 47 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1953 | 77% |
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 1953 students or 77% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1953 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
750 transferred to another institution.
CCC lost contact with the remaining 1168 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 750 | 38.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1168 | 59.8% |
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 CCC 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 Contra Costa College represent 16.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CCC graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | CCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
245 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
65 transferred to another institution.
CCC lost contact with the remaining 171 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 3.67% |
| Transferred | 65 | 26.53% |
| Dropped Out | 171 | 69.80% |
First-time / part-time students at Contra Costa College represent 30.70% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CCC graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | CCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
613 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
136 transferred to another institution.
CCC lost contact with the remaining 461 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 2.61% |
| Transferred | 136 | 22.19% |
| Dropped Out | 461 | 75.20% |
Returning / full-time students at Contra Costa College represent 8.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CCC graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | CCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 32% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 55.07% |
136 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
51 transferred to another institution.
CCC lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.74% |
| Transferred | 51 | 37.50% |
| Dropped Out | 84 | 61.76% |
Returning / part-time students at Contra Costa College represent 44.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CCC graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | CCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 14% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 37.80% |
959 non first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
498 transferred to another institution.
CCC lost contact with the remaining 452 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 0.94% |
| Transferred | 498 | 51.93% |
| Dropped Out | 452 | 47.13% |
