by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many John Jay 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 John Jay. 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 82% students making it past their freshmen year, John Jay 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| John Jay | 82% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
Of the 2611 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 50% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 59% of the students had graduated and after eight years 62% 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 John Jay graduation rate 59%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2193 | 50% |
| Six Years | 2611 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 114 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 1687 | 38% |
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 1687 students or 38% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1687 students who did not complete their degree?
21 are still enrolled.
730 transferred to another institution.
John Jay lost contact with the remaining 913 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 1.2% |
| Transferred | 730 | 43.3% |
| Dropped Out | 913 | 54.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 63% |
| Black / African-American | 47% |
| Hispanic | 54% |
| International | 69% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 66% |
| White | 55% |
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 John Jay 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 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice represent 35.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the John Jay graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | John Jay | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 53% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 47.82% |
676 first-time / full-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
381 transferred to another institution.
John Jay lost contact with the remaining 274 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 3.11% |
| Transferred | 381 | 56.36% |
| Dropped Out | 274 | 40.53% |
First-time / part-time students at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice represent 0.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the John Jay graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | John Jay | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
13 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
9 transferred to another institution.
John Jay lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 9 | 69.23% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 30.77% |
Returning / full-time students at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice represent 52.63% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the John Jay graduation rate was 67%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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 | John Jay | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 67% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 55.07% |
712 non first-time / part-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
245 transferred to another institution.
John Jay lost contact with the remaining 456 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.54% |
| Transferred | 245 | 34.41% |
| Dropped Out | 456 | 64.04% |
Returning / part-time students at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice represent 11.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the John Jay graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | John Jay | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 37.80% |
286 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
95 transferred to another institution.
John Jay lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 4.20% |
| Transferred | 95 | 33.22% |
| Dropped Out | 179 | 62.59% |
