by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Mt. SAC 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 Mt. SAC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 77% students making it past their freshmen year, Mt. SAC 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 | |
|---|---|
| Mt. SAC | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 3310 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 27% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 32% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 Mt. SAC graduation rate 32%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2750 | 27% |
| Six Years | 3310 | 32% |
| Eight Years | 275 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 6787 | 65% |
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 6787 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 6787 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2719 transferred to another institution.
Mt. SAC lost contact with the remaining 3854 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2719 | 40.1% |
| Dropped Out | 3854 | 56.8% |
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 Mt. SAC 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 Mt San Antonio College represent 27.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mt. SAC graduation rate was 51%, 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 | Mt. SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 47.82% |
1313 first-time / full-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
57 are still enrolled.
419 transferred to another institution.
Mt. SAC lost contact with the remaining 837 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 57 | 4.34% |
| Transferred | 419 | 31.91% |
| Dropped Out | 837 | 63.75% |
First-time / part-time students at Mt San Antonio College represent 30.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mt. SAC graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | Mt. SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 23.72% |
2244 first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
84 are still enrolled.
603 transferred to another institution.
Mt. SAC lost contact with the remaining 1557 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 84 | 3.74% |
| Transferred | 603 | 26.87% |
| Dropped Out | 1557 | 69.39% |
Returning / full-time students at Mt San Antonio College represent 9.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mt. SAC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | Mt. SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 37% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
617 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
336 transferred to another institution.
Mt. SAC lost contact with the remaining 269 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.94% |
| Transferred | 336 | 54.46% |
| Dropped Out | 269 | 43.60% |
Returning / part-time students at Mt San Antonio College represent 31.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mt. SAC 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Mt. SAC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 19% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
2613 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
61 are still enrolled.
1361 transferred to another institution.
Mt. SAC lost contact with the remaining 1191 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 61 | 2.33% |
| Transferred | 1361 | 52.09% |
| Dropped Out | 1191 | 45.58% |
