by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Mercer County Community 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, Mercer County Community 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 New Jersey, the average is 74.83%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Mercer County Community College | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
How many of the estimated 484 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 14% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 18% of the students had graduated and after eight years 19% 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 Mercer County Community College graduation rate 18%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 374 | 14% |
| Six Years | 484 | 18% |
| Eight Years | 41 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2231 | 81% |
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 2231 students or 81% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2231 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
851 transferred to another institution.
Mercer County Community College lost contact with the remaining 1312 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 851 | 38.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1312 | 58.8% |
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 Mercer County Community College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Mercer County Community College represent 38.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer County Community College graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Mercer County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 47.82% |
794 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
274 transferred to another institution.
Mercer County Community College lost contact with the remaining 495 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 3.15% |
| Transferred | 274 | 34.51% |
| Dropped Out | 495 | 62.34% |
First-time / part-time students at Mercer County Community College represent 51.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer County Community College graduation rate was 9%, and by the eight year mark, 10% 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 | Mercer County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 9% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 10% | 23.72% |
1279 first-time / part-time students or 90% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
39 are still enrolled.
490 transferred to another institution.
Mercer County Community College lost contact with the remaining 750 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 39 | 3.05% |
| Transferred | 490 | 38.31% |
| Dropped Out | 750 | 58.64% |
Returning / full-time students at Mercer County Community College represent 4.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer County Community College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Mercer County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 55.07% |
73 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
34 transferred to another institution.
Mercer County Community College lost contact with the remaining 37 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.74% |
| Transferred | 34 | 46.58% |
| Dropped Out | 37 | 50.68% |
Returning / part-time students at Mercer County Community College represent 4.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer County Community College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Mercer County Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 34% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 37.80% |
85 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
Mercer County Community College lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.35% |
| Transferred | 53 | 62.35% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 35.29% |
