by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Montco 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 Montco. 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 67% students making it past their freshmen year, Montco 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Montco | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
Of the 984 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 24% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 Montco graduation rate 24%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 802 | 20% |
| Six Years | 984 | 24% |
| Eight Years | 56 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3071 | 75% |
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 3071 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3071 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1337 transferred to another institution.
Montco lost contact with the remaining 1690 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1337 | 43.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1690 | 55.0% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Montco are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Montgomery County Community College represent 35.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montco graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | Montco | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
982 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
446 transferred to another institution.
Montco lost contact with the remaining 521 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.53% |
| Transferred | 446 | 45.42% |
| Dropped Out | 521 | 53.05% |
First-time / part-time students at Montgomery County Community College represent 27.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montco graduation rate was 19%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Montco | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
908 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
276 transferred to another institution.
Montco lost contact with the remaining 613 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 2.09% |
| Transferred | 276 | 30.40% |
| Dropped Out | 613 | 67.51% |
Returning / full-time students at Montgomery County Community College represent 10.98% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montco 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Montco | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 24% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 55.07% |
337 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
191 transferred to another institution.
Montco lost contact with the remaining 142 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 191 | 56.68% |
| Dropped Out | 142 | 42.14% |
Returning / part-time students at Montgomery County Community College represent 25.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Montco graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | Montco | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 37.80% |
844 non first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
424 transferred to another institution.
Montco lost contact with the remaining 414 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.71% |
| Transferred | 424 | 50.24% |
| Dropped Out | 414 | 49.05% |
