by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Monterey Peninsula College 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 Monterey Peninsula College. 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 68% students making it past their freshmen year, Monterey Peninsula 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 | |
|---|---|
| Monterey Peninsula College | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 770 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 12% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 14% of the students had graduated and after eight years 15% 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 Monterey Peninsula College graduation rate 14%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 659 | 12% |
| Six Years | 770 | 14% |
| Eight Years | 52 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 4650 | 85% |
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 4650 students or 85% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4650 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1814 transferred to another institution.
Monterey Peninsula College lost contact with the remaining 2779 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1814 | 39.0% |
| Dropped Out | 2779 | 59.8% |
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 Monterey Peninsula 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 Monterey Peninsula College represent 13.65% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Monterey Peninsula College graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Monterey Peninsula College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
404 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
134 transferred to another institution.
Monterey Peninsula College lost contact with the remaining 254 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 3.96% |
| Transferred | 134 | 33.17% |
| Dropped Out | 254 | 62.87% |
First-time / part-time students at Monterey Peninsula College represent 29.22% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Monterey Peninsula College graduation rate was 7%, and by the eight year mark, 7% 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 | Monterey Peninsula College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 7% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 7% | 23.72% |
1484 first-time / part-time students or 93% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
121 transferred to another institution.
Monterey Peninsula College lost contact with the remaining 1343 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 121 | 8.15% |
| Dropped Out | 1343 | 90.50% |
Returning / full-time students at Monterey Peninsula College represent 6.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Monterey Peninsula College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Monterey Peninsula College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 55.07% |
254 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
149 transferred to another institution.
Monterey Peninsula College lost contact with the remaining 100 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.97% |
| Transferred | 149 | 58.66% |
| Dropped Out | 100 | 39.37% |
Returning / part-time students at Monterey Peninsula College represent 50.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Monterey Peninsula College graduation rate was 8%, and by the eight year mark, 9% 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 | Monterey Peninsula College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 8% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 9% | 37.80% |
2508 non first-time / part-time students or 91% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
1410 transferred to another institution.
Monterey Peninsula College lost contact with the remaining 1082 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 0.64% |
| Transferred | 1410 | 56.22% |
| Dropped Out | 1082 | 43.14% |
