by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Gavilan 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, Gavilan College has freshmen retention rates near 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 | |
|---|---|
| Gavilan College | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 570 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 19% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 22% of the students had graduated and after eight years 23% 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 Gavilan College graduation rate 22%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 490 | 19% |
| Six Years | 570 | 22% |
| Eight Years | 32 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1990 | 77% |
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 1990 students or 77% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1990 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
897 transferred to another institution.
Gavilan College lost contact with the remaining 1060 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 897 | 45.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1060 | 53.3% |
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 Gavilan 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 Gavilan College represent 20.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gavilan College graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | Gavilan College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 47.82% |
268 first-time / full-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
95 transferred to another institution.
Gavilan College lost contact with the remaining 163 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 3.73% |
| Transferred | 95 | 35.45% |
| Dropped Out | 163 | 60.82% |
First-time / part-time students at Gavilan College represent 23.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gavilan College graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Gavilan College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
488 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
139 transferred to another institution.
Gavilan College lost contact with the remaining 337 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 2.46% |
| Transferred | 139 | 28.48% |
| Dropped Out | 337 | 69.06% |
Returning / full-time students at Gavilan College represent 11.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gavilan College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | Gavilan College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 55.07% |
175 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
93 transferred to another institution.
Gavilan College lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.71% |
| Transferred | 93 | 53.14% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 45.14% |
Returning / part-time students at Gavilan College represent 44.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gavilan College graduation rate was 7%, and by the eight year mark, 8% 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 | Gavilan College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 7% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 8% | 37.80% |
1059 non first-time / part-time students or 92% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
570 transferred to another institution.
Gavilan College lost contact with the remaining 481 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 0.76% |
| Transferred | 570 | 53.82% |
| Dropped Out | 481 | 45.42% |
