by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Fullerton College 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 Fullerton College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 72% students making it past their freshmen year, Fullerton College 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 | |
|---|---|
| Fullerton College | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 2487 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 21% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% 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 Fullerton College graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2079 | 21% |
| Six Years | 2487 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 174 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 7013 | 72% |
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 7013 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 7013 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2869 transferred to another institution.
Fullerton College lost contact with the remaining 4030 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2869 | 40.9% |
| Dropped Out | 4030 | 57.5% |
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 Fullerton 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 Fullerton College represent 27.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fullerton College graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | Fullerton College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
1400 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
43 are still enrolled.
450 transferred to another institution.
Fullerton College lost contact with the remaining 907 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 43 | 3.07% |
| Transferred | 450 | 32.14% |
| Dropped Out | 907 | 64.79% |
First-time / part-time students at Fullerton College represent 26.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fullerton College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Fullerton College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
1943 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
45 are still enrolled.
474 transferred to another institution.
Fullerton College lost contact with the remaining 1424 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 45 | 2.32% |
| Transferred | 474 | 24.40% |
| Dropped Out | 1424 | 73.29% |
Returning / full-time students at Fullerton College represent 10.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fullerton College graduation rate was 28%, 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 | Fullerton College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 28% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
733 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
418 transferred to another institution.
Fullerton College lost contact with the remaining 310 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.68% |
| Transferred | 418 | 57.03% |
| Dropped Out | 310 | 42.29% |
Returning / part-time students at Fullerton College represent 35.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Fullerton College graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | Fullerton College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 13% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 37.80% |
2937 non first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
1527 transferred to another institution.
Fullerton College lost contact with the remaining 1389 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 0.72% |
| Transferred | 1527 | 51.99% |
| Dropped Out | 1389 | 47.29% |
