by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding HCC 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, HCC 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| HCC | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
How many of the estimated 929 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, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 20% 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 HCC graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 743 | 15% |
| Six Years | 929 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 59 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3867 | 80% |
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 3867 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3867 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1364 transferred to another institution.
HCC lost contact with the remaining 2392 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1364 | 35.3% |
| Dropped Out | 2392 | 61.9% |
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 HCC 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 Howard Community College represent 27.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | HCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
877 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
372 transferred to another institution.
HCC lost contact with the remaining 471 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 3.88% |
| Transferred | 372 | 42.42% |
| Dropped Out | 471 | 53.71% |
First-time / part-time students at Howard Community College represent 24.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCC graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | HCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
1032 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
48 are still enrolled.
276 transferred to another institution.
HCC lost contact with the remaining 708 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 48 | 4.65% |
| Transferred | 276 | 26.74% |
| Dropped Out | 708 | 68.60% |
Returning / full-time students at Howard Community College represent 7.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCC graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | HCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 25% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 55.07% |
288 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
HCC lost contact with the remaining 153 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 129 | 44.79% |
| Dropped Out | 153 | 53.12% |
Returning / part-time students at Howard Community College represent 39.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCC 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 | HCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 13% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 37.80% |
1670 non first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
23 are still enrolled.
587 transferred to another institution.
HCC lost contact with the remaining 1060 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 23 | 1.38% |
| Transferred | 587 | 35.15% |
| Dropped Out | 1060 | 63.47% |
