by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many QCC 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 QCC. 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 65% students making it past their freshmen year, QCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| QCC | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
How many of the estimated 1995 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 34% 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 QCC graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1745 | 29% |
| Six Years | 1995 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 63 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3992 | 66% |
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 3992 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3992 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1628 transferred to another institution.
QCC lost contact with the remaining 2288 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1628 | 40.8% |
| Dropped Out | 2288 | 57.3% |
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 QCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Queensborough Community College represent 61.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the QCC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | QCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 37% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
2345 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
41 are still enrolled.
905 transferred to another institution.
QCC lost contact with the remaining 1399 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 41 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 905 | 38.59% |
| Dropped Out | 1399 | 59.66% |
First-time / part-time students at CUNY Queensborough Community College represent 8.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the QCC graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 20% 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 | QCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
388 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
105 transferred to another institution.
QCC lost contact with the remaining 272 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.84% |
| Transferred | 105 | 27.06% |
| Dropped Out | 272 | 70.10% |
Returning / full-time students at CUNY Queensborough Community College represent 20.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the QCC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | QCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
784 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
382 transferred to another institution.
QCC lost contact with the remaining 388 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.79% |
| Transferred | 382 | 48.72% |
| Dropped Out | 388 | 49.49% |
Returning / part-time students at CUNY Queensborough Community College represent 9.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the QCC graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | QCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 20% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
475 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
236 transferred to another institution.
QCC lost contact with the remaining 229 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.11% |
| Transferred | 236 | 49.68% |
| Dropped Out | 229 | 48.21% |
