by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding BMCC 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, BMCC 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| BMCC | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
How many of the estimated 3703 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, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 33% 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 BMCC graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3204 | 27% |
| Six Years | 3703 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 134 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 7932 | 67% |
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 7932 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 7932 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2997 transferred to another institution.
BMCC lost contact with the remaining 4815 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2997 | 37.8% |
| Dropped Out | 4815 | 60.7% |
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.
The majority of students at BMCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College represent 66.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BMCC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | BMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
5095 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
76 are still enrolled.
1756 transferred to another institution.
BMCC lost contact with the remaining 3263 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 76 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 1756 | 34.47% |
| Dropped Out | 3263 | 64.04% |
First-time / part-time students at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College represent 9.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BMCC graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | BMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
937 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
306 transferred to another institution.
BMCC lost contact with the remaining 611 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 2.13% |
| Transferred | 306 | 32.66% |
| Dropped Out | 611 | 65.21% |
Returning / full-time students at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College represent 15.94% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BMCC graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | BMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
1178 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
572 transferred to another institution.
BMCC lost contact with the remaining 591 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 572 | 48.56% |
| Dropped Out | 591 | 50.17% |
Returning / part-time students at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College represent 8.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BMCC graduation rate was 25%, 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 | BMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 25% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
722 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
363 transferred to another institution.
BMCC lost contact with the remaining 350 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 363 | 50.28% |
| Dropped Out | 350 | 48.48% |
