by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding MDC 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.
There were approximately 7474 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 38% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 44% 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 MDC graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6657 | 38% |
| Six Years | 7474 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 228 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 9680 | 56% |
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 9680 students or 56% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 9680 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3444 transferred to another institution.
MDC lost contact with the remaining 6019 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3444 | 35.6% |
| Dropped Out | 6019 | 62.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 12% |
| Asian | 63% |
| Black / African-American | 36% |
| Hawaiian | 17% |
| Hispanic | 45% |
| International | 52% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 56% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 46% |
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.
The majority of students at MDC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Miami Dade College represent 54.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MDC graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | MDC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 49% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 54% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 47.82% |
4270 first-time / full-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
90 are still enrolled.
1619 transferred to another institution.
MDC lost contact with the remaining 2561 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 90 | 2.11% |
| Transferred | 1619 | 37.92% |
| Dropped Out | 2561 | 59.98% |
First-time / part-time students at Miami Dade College represent 38.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MDC graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | MDC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 29% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
4620 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
120 are still enrolled.
1438 transferred to another institution.
MDC lost contact with the remaining 3062 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 120 | 2.60% |
| Transferred | 1438 | 31.13% |
| Dropped Out | 3062 | 66.28% |
Returning / full-time students at Miami Dade College represent 2.54% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MDC graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | MDC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 53% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
202 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
91 transferred to another institution.
MDC lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.50% |
| Transferred | 91 | 45.05% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 54.46% |
Returning / part-time students at Miami Dade College represent 4.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MDC graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | MDC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 31% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
588 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
296 transferred to another institution.
MDC lost contact with the remaining 286 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.02% |
| Transferred | 296 | 50.34% |
| Dropped Out | 286 | 48.64% |
