by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Los Angeles City 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, Los Angeles City College 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles City College | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 1257 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 Los Angeles City College graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 994 | 15% |
| Six Years | 1257 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 112 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 5334 | 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 5334 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 5334 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1854 transferred to another institution.
Los Angeles City College lost contact with the remaining 3430 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1854 | 34.8% |
| Dropped Out | 3430 | 64.3% |
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 Los Angeles City 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 Los Angeles City College represent 10.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Los Angeles City College graduation rate was 32%, 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 | Los Angeles City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
481 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
65 transferred to another institution.
Los Angeles City College lost contact with the remaining 410 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 65 | 13.51% |
| Dropped Out | 410 | 85.24% |
First-time / part-time students at Los Angeles City College represent 25.54% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Los Angeles City College graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 20% 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 | Los Angeles City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
1368 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
222 transferred to another institution.
Los Angeles City College lost contact with the remaining 1132 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.02% |
| Transferred | 222 | 16.23% |
| Dropped Out | 1132 | 82.75% |
Returning / full-time students at Los Angeles City College represent 7.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Los Angeles City College 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 | Los Angeles City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
326 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
148 transferred to another institution.
Los Angeles City College lost contact with the remaining 174 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 148 | 45.40% |
| Dropped Out | 174 | 53.37% |
Returning / part-time students at Los Angeles City College represent 55.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Los Angeles City College graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Los Angeles City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 14% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
3159 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
26 are still enrolled.
1419 transferred to another institution.
Los Angeles City College lost contact with the remaining 1714 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 0.82% |
| Transferred | 1419 | 44.92% |
| Dropped Out | 1714 | 54.26% |
