by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many DCC 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 DCC. 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, DCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| DCC | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
There were approximately 801 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed 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, 32% 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 DCC graduation rate 32%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 724 | 29% |
| Six Years | 801 | 32% |
| Eight Years | 31 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1633 | 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 1633 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1633 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
708 transferred to another institution.
DCC lost contact with the remaining 898 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 708 | 43.4% |
| Dropped Out | 898 | 55.0% |
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.
The majority of students at DCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Dutchess Community College represent 70.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | DCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 37% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 47.82% |
1079 first-time / full-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
464 transferred to another institution.
DCC lost contact with the remaining 593 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 2.04% |
| Transferred | 464 | 43.00% |
| Dropped Out | 593 | 54.96% |
First-time / part-time students at Dutchess Community College represent 11.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCC graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | DCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
223 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
68 transferred to another institution.
DCC lost contact with the remaining 150 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.24% |
| Transferred | 68 | 30.49% |
| Dropped Out | 150 | 67.26% |
Returning / full-time students at Dutchess Community College represent 13.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCC graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | DCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
226 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
124 transferred to another institution.
DCC lost contact with the remaining 102 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 124 | 54.87% |
| Dropped Out | 102 | 45.13% |
Returning / part-time students at Dutchess Community College represent 5.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCC graduation rate was 19%, 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 | DCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 19% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
105 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
52 transferred to another institution.
DCC lost contact with the remaining 53 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 52 | 49.52% |
| Dropped Out | 53 | 50.48% |
