by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Montgomery 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 75% students making it past their freshmen year, Montgomery College 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Montgomery College | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
Of the 1587 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 16% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 20% of the students had graduated and after eight years 22% 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 Montgomery College graduation rate 20%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1212 | 16% |
| Six Years | 1587 | 20% |
| Eight Years | 115 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 6087 | 78% |
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 6087 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 6087 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3284 transferred to another institution.
Montgomery College lost contact with the remaining 2695 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3284 | 54.0% |
| Dropped Out | 2695 | 44.3% |
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 Montgomery College 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 Montgomery College represent 31.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montgomery College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Montgomery College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 47.82% |
1523 first-time / full-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
694 transferred to another institution.
Montgomery College lost contact with the remaining 795 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 2.23% |
| Transferred | 694 | 45.57% |
| Dropped Out | 795 | 52.20% |
First-time / part-time students at Montgomery College represent 35.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montgomery 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Montgomery College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
2305 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
61 are still enrolled.
924 transferred to another institution.
Montgomery College lost contact with the remaining 1320 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 61 | 2.65% |
| Transferred | 924 | 40.09% |
| Dropped Out | 1320 | 57.27% |
Returning / full-time students at Montgomery College represent 6.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montgomery College graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | Montgomery College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 25% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 55.07% |
399 non first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
270 transferred to another institution.
Montgomery College lost contact with the remaining 126 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.75% |
| Transferred | 270 | 67.67% |
| Dropped Out | 126 | 31.58% |
Returning / part-time students at Montgomery College represent 26.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montgomery College graduation rate was 9%, 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 | Montgomery College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 9% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 9% | 37.80% |
1860 non first-time / part-time students or 91% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
1396 transferred to another institution.
Montgomery College lost contact with the remaining 454 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 0.54% |
| Transferred | 1396 | 75.05% |
| Dropped Out | 454 | 24.41% |
