by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Delaware County Community 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 60% students making it past their freshmen year, Delaware County Community College 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Delaware County Community College | 60% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
How many of the estimated 1015 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 14% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 17% of the students had graduated and after eight years 18% 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 Delaware County Community College graduation rate 17%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 801 | 14% |
| Six Years | 1015 | 17% |
| Eight Years | 68 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4832 | 82% |
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 4832 students or 82% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4832 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2720 transferred to another institution.
Delaware County Community College lost contact with the remaining 2018 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2720 | 56.3% |
| Dropped Out | 2018 | 41.8% |
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 Delaware County Community College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 Delaware County Community College represent 22.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Delaware County Community College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | Delaware County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 30% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 47.82% |
898 first-time / full-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
27 are still enrolled.
391 transferred to another institution.
Delaware County Community College lost contact with the remaining 480 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 3.01% |
| Transferred | 391 | 43.54% |
| Dropped Out | 480 | 53.45% |
First-time / part-time students at Delaware County Community College represent 54.42% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Delaware County Community College graduation rate was 8%, and by the eight year mark, 9% 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 | Delaware County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 8% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 9% | 23.72% |
2937 first-time / part-time students or 91% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
46 are still enrolled.
1693 transferred to another institution.
Delaware County Community College lost contact with the remaining 1198 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 46 | 1.57% |
| Transferred | 1693 | 57.64% |
| Dropped Out | 1198 | 40.79% |
Returning / full-time students at Delaware County Community College represent 6.54% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Delaware County Community College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Delaware County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 55.07% |
240 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
152 transferred to another institution.
Delaware County Community College lost contact with the remaining 86 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.83% |
| Transferred | 152 | 63.33% |
| Dropped Out | 86 | 35.83% |
Returning / part-time students at Delaware County Community College represent 16.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Delaware County Community College graduation rate was 23%, 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 | Delaware County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
757 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
484 transferred to another institution.
Delaware County Community College lost contact with the remaining 254 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.51% |
| Transferred | 484 | 63.94% |
| Dropped Out | 254 | 33.55% |
