by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Essex 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 56% students making it past their freshmen year, Essex 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 Jersey, the average is 74.83%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Essex | 56% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
How many of the estimated 542 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 20% of the students had graduated and after eight years 22% 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 Essex graduation rate 20%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 395 | 15% |
| Six Years | 542 | 20% |
| Eight Years | 45 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2100 | 78% |
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 2100 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2100 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
963 transferred to another institution.
Essex lost contact with the remaining 1090 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 963 | 45.9% |
| Dropped Out | 1090 | 51.9% |
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 Essex are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Essex County College represent 71.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Essex 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 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Essex | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 23% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 47.82% |
1445 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
676 transferred to another institution.
Essex lost contact with the remaining 736 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 2.28% |
| Transferred | 676 | 46.78% |
| Dropped Out | 736 | 50.93% |
First-time / part-time students at Essex County College represent 20.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Essex graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | Essex | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
466 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
180 transferred to another institution.
Essex lost contact with the remaining 273 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.79% |
| Transferred | 180 | 38.63% |
| Dropped Out | 273 | 58.58% |
Returning / full-time students at Essex County College represent 5.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Essex graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | Essex | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 18% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 55.07% |
120 non first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
69 transferred to another institution.
Essex lost contact with the remaining 51 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 69 | 57.50% |
| Dropped Out | 51 | 42.50% |
Returning / part-time students at Essex County College represent 3.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Essex graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Essex | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 37.80% |
69 non first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
38 transferred to another institution.
Essex lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.45% |
| Transferred | 38 | 55.07% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 43.48% |
