by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding El Centro 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 67% students making it past their freshmen year, El Centro 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| El Centro College | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
How many of the estimated 5001 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, 24% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 El Centro College graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4092 | 20% |
| Six Years | 5001 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 409 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 15502 | 74% |
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 15502 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 15502 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
4558 transferred to another institution.
El Centro College lost contact with the remaining 10034 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 4558 | 29.4% |
| Dropped Out | 10034 | 64.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 39% |
| Black / African-American | 28% |
| Hispanic | 39% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 22% |
| Unknown | 44% |
| White | 32% |
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 El Centro College 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 Dallas College represent 9.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the El Centro College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | El Centro College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 34% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 47.82% |
1301 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
86 are still enrolled.
279 transferred to another institution.
El Centro College lost contact with the remaining 936 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 86 | 6.61% |
| Transferred | 279 | 21.45% |
| Dropped Out | 936 | 71.94% |
First-time / part-time students at Dallas College represent 28.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the El Centro College 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 | El Centro College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
4861 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
324 are still enrolled.
457 transferred to another institution.
El Centro College lost contact with the remaining 4080 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 324 | 6.67% |
| Transferred | 457 | 9.40% |
| Dropped Out | 4080 | 83.93% |
Returning / full-time students at Dallas College represent 12.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the El Centro College graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | El Centro College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 43% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 55.07% |
1431 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
65 are still enrolled.
497 transferred to another institution.
El Centro College lost contact with the remaining 869 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 65 | 4.54% |
| Transferred | 497 | 34.73% |
| Dropped Out | 869 | 60.73% |
Returning / part-time students at Dallas College represent 49.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the El Centro College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | El Centro College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 37.80% |
7909 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
435 are still enrolled.
3325 transferred to another institution.
El Centro College lost contact with the remaining 4149 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 435 | 5.50% |
| Transferred | 3325 | 42.04% |
| Dropped Out | 4149 | 52.46% |
