by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding HCCC 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, HCCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| HCCC | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
How many of the estimated 554 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 18% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 HCCC graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 431 | 18% |
| Six Years | 554 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 47 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1826 | 75% |
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 1826 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1826 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
374 transferred to another institution.
HCCC lost contact with the remaining 1385 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 374 | 20.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1385 | 75.8% |
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 HCCC 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 Hudson County Community College represent 67.49% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCCC graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | HCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
1208 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
55 are still enrolled.
277 transferred to another institution.
HCCC lost contact with the remaining 876 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 55 | 4.55% |
| Transferred | 277 | 22.93% |
| Dropped Out | 876 | 72.52% |
First-time / part-time students at Hudson County Community College represent 16.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCCC 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | HCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
344 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
HCCC lost contact with the remaining 311 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.03% |
| Transferred | 26 | 7.56% |
| Dropped Out | 311 | 90.41% |
Returning / full-time students at Hudson County Community College represent 9.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCCC 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | HCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
142 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
51 transferred to another institution.
HCCC lost contact with the remaining 89 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 51 | 35.92% |
| Dropped Out | 89 | 62.68% |
Returning / part-time students at Hudson County Community College represent 6.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the HCCC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | HCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
132 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
HCCC lost contact with the remaining 109 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.27% |
| Transferred | 20 | 15.15% |
| Dropped Out | 109 | 82.58% |
