by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many DMC 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 DMC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on the retention rate for Del Mar College.
How many of the estimated 577 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 17% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 21% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 DMC graduation rate 21%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 445 | 17% |
| Six Years | 577 | 21% |
| Eight Years | 61 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2056 | 76% |
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 2056 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2056 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
481 transferred to another institution.
DMC lost contact with the remaining 1478 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 481 | 23.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1478 | 71.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 25% |
| Black / African-American | 14% |
| Hispanic | 11% |
| International | 8% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 20% |
| Unknown | 25% |
| White | 17% |
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 DMC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Del Mar College represent 26.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DMC graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | DMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 27% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 47.82% |
503 first-time / full-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
78 transferred to another institution.
DMC lost contact with the remaining 401 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 4.77% |
| Transferred | 78 | 15.51% |
| Dropped Out | 401 | 79.72% |
First-time / part-time students at Del Mar College represent 39.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DMC graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | DMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
891 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
56 are still enrolled.
137 transferred to another institution.
DMC lost contact with the remaining 698 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 56 | 6.29% |
| Transferred | 137 | 15.38% |
| Dropped Out | 698 | 78.34% |
Returning / full-time students at Del Mar College represent 12.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DMC graduation rate was 31%, 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 | DMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 31% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 55.07% |
230 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
88 transferred to another institution.
DMC lost contact with the remaining 136 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.61% |
| Transferred | 88 | 38.26% |
| Dropped Out | 136 | 59.13% |
Returning / part-time students at Del Mar College represent 21.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DMC graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | DMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 37.80% |
432 non first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
178 transferred to another institution.
DMC lost contact with the remaining 243 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.55% |
| Transferred | 178 | 41.20% |
| Dropped Out | 243 | 56.25% |
