by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Cuyamaca College 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, Cuyamaca 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 | |
|---|---|
| Cuyamaca College | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 1032 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 Cuyamaca College graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 862 | 20% |
| Six Years | 1032 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 78 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 3289 | 75% |
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 3289 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3289 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1461 transferred to another institution.
Cuyamaca College lost contact with the remaining 1790 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1461 | 44.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1790 | 54.4% |
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 Cuyamaca 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 Cuyamaca College represent 15.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuyamaca College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Cuyamaca College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
393 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
119 transferred to another institution.
Cuyamaca College lost contact with the remaining 267 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.78% |
| Transferred | 119 | 30.28% |
| Dropped Out | 267 | 67.94% |
First-time / part-time students at Cuyamaca College represent 22.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuyamaca College graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Cuyamaca College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 28% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
676 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
185 transferred to another institution.
Cuyamaca College lost contact with the remaining 475 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 2.37% |
| Transferred | 185 | 27.37% |
| Dropped Out | 475 | 70.27% |
Returning / full-time students at Cuyamaca College represent 6.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuyamaca College graduation rate was 30%, 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 | Cuyamaca College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 55.07% |
194 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
92 transferred to another institution.
Cuyamaca College lost contact with the remaining 100 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.03% |
| Transferred | 92 | 47.42% |
| Dropped Out | 100 | 51.55% |
Returning / part-time students at Cuyamaca College represent 55.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Cuyamaca College graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Cuyamaca College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
2026 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
1065 transferred to another institution.
Cuyamaca College lost contact with the remaining 948 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 0.64% |
| Transferred | 1065 | 52.57% |
| Dropped Out | 948 | 46.79% |
