by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Cuesta 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 Cuesta 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, Cuesta College 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 | |
|---|---|
| Cuesta College | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1170 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 30% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 36% 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 Cuesta College graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1017 | 30% |
| Six Years | 1170 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 50 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2135 | 64% |
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 2135 students or 64% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2135 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
927 transferred to another institution.
Cuesta College lost contact with the remaining 1163 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 927 | 43.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1163 | 54.5% |
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 Cuesta 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 Cuesta College represent 30.04% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuesta College graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | Cuesta College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
475 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
186 transferred to another institution.
Cuesta College lost contact with the remaining 274 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 3.16% |
| Transferred | 186 | 39.16% |
| Dropped Out | 274 | 57.68% |
First-time / part-time students at Cuesta College represent 19.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuesta College graduation rate was 21%, 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 | Cuesta College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
508 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
98 transferred to another institution.
Cuesta College lost contact with the remaining 391 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 3.74% |
| Transferred | 98 | 19.29% |
| Dropped Out | 391 | 76.97% |
Returning / full-time students at Cuesta College represent 15.83% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuesta College graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Cuesta College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 45% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 55.07% |
286 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
192 transferred to another institution.
Cuesta College lost contact with the remaining 90 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.40% |
| Transferred | 192 | 67.13% |
| Dropped Out | 90 | 31.47% |
Returning / part-time students at Cuesta College represent 34.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuesta College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Cuesta College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
866 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
451 transferred to another institution.
Cuesta College lost contact with the remaining 408 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 0.81% |
| Transferred | 451 | 52.08% |
| Dropped Out | 408 | 47.11% |
