by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Diablo Valley 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 76% students making it past their freshmen year, Diablo Valley 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 | |
|---|---|
| Diablo Valley | 76% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 2219 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 27% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 32% 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 Diablo Valley graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1935 | 27% |
| Six Years | 2219 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 89 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4797 | 68% |
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 4797 students or 68% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4797 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1999 transferred to another institution.
Diablo Valley lost contact with the remaining 2719 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1999 | 41.7% |
| Dropped Out | 2719 | 56.7% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Diablo Valley 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 Diablo Valley College represent 24.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Diablo Valley graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 59% 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 | Diablo Valley | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 54% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 58% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 47.82% |
726 first-time / full-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
237 transferred to another institution.
Diablo Valley lost contact with the remaining 472 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 2.34% |
| Transferred | 237 | 32.64% |
| Dropped Out | 472 | 65.01% |
First-time / part-time students at Diablo Valley College represent 26.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Diablo Valley graduation rate was 29%, 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 | Diablo Valley | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 29% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 23.72% |
1302 first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
28 are still enrolled.
352 transferred to another institution.
Diablo Valley lost contact with the remaining 922 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 28 | 2.15% |
| Transferred | 352 | 27.04% |
| Dropped Out | 922 | 70.81% |
Returning / full-time students at Diablo Valley College represent 9.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Diablo Valley graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | Diablo Valley | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
443 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
257 transferred to another institution.
Diablo Valley lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.58% |
| Transferred | 257 | 58.01% |
| Dropped Out | 179 | 40.41% |
Returning / part-time students at Diablo Valley College represent 39.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Diablo Valley graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Diablo Valley | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
2326 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
27 are still enrolled.
1153 transferred to another institution.
Diablo Valley lost contact with the remaining 1146 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 1.16% |
| Transferred | 1153 | 49.57% |
| Dropped Out | 1146 | 49.27% |
