by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many MJC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at MJC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, MJC has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| MJC | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 1636 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 22% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 MJC graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1358 | 22% |
| Six Years | 1636 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 145 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 4437 | 71% |
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 4437 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4437 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1309 transferred to another institution.
MJC lost contact with the remaining 2978 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1309 | 29.5% |
| Dropped Out | 2978 | 67.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 9% |
| Asian | 36% |
| Black / African-American | 17% |
| Hawaiian | 27% |
| Hispanic | 22% |
| International | 60% |
| White | 32% |
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 MJC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Modesto Junior College represent 27.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MJC graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | MJC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 38% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 47.82% |
1020 first-time / full-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
36 are still enrolled.
254 transferred to another institution.
MJC lost contact with the remaining 730 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 36 | 3.53% |
| Transferred | 254 | 24.90% |
| Dropped Out | 730 | 71.57% |
First-time / part-time students at Modesto Junior College represent 38.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MJC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | MJC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 23.72% |
1825 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
83 are still enrolled.
309 transferred to another institution.
MJC lost contact with the remaining 1433 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 83 | 4.55% |
| Transferred | 309 | 16.93% |
| Dropped Out | 1433 | 78.52% |
Returning / full-time students at Modesto Junior College represent 8.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MJC graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | MJC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
346 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
171 transferred to another institution.
MJC lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.45% |
| Transferred | 171 | 49.42% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 49.13% |
Returning / part-time students at Modesto Junior College represent 24.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the MJC 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | MJC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 37.80% |
1246 non first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
26 are still enrolled.
575 transferred to another institution.
MJC lost contact with the remaining 645 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 2.09% |
| Transferred | 575 | 46.15% |
| Dropped Out | 645 | 51.77% |
