by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding North Shore Community 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, North Shore Community 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 Massachusetts, the average is 73.02%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| North Shore Community College | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Massachusetts | 73.02% |
How many of the estimated 603 students in the class of 2023 actually finished 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, 27% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% 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 North Shore Community College graduation rate 27%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 507 | 22% |
| Six Years | 603 | 27% |
| Eight Years | 36 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1626 | 72% |
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 1626 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1626 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
530 transferred to another institution.
North Shore Community College lost contact with the remaining 1043 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 530 | 32.6% |
| Dropped Out | 1043 | 64.1% |
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 North Shore Community College 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 North Shore Community College represent 34.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the North Shore Community College graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | North Shore Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 28% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
539 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
177 transferred to another institution.
North Shore Community College lost contact with the remaining 343 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 3.53% |
| Transferred | 177 | 32.84% |
| Dropped Out | 343 | 63.64% |
First-time / part-time students at North Shore Community College represent 28.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the North Shore Community College 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | North Shore Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
527 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
107 transferred to another institution.
North Shore Community College lost contact with the remaining 399 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 3.98% |
| Transferred | 107 | 20.30% |
| Dropped Out | 399 | 75.71% |
Returning / full-time students at North Shore Community College represent 17.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the North Shore Community College graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | North Shore Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
251 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
125 transferred to another institution.
North Shore Community College lost contact with the remaining 122 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.59% |
| Transferred | 125 | 49.80% |
| Dropped Out | 122 | 48.61% |
Returning / part-time students at North Shore Community College represent 19.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the North Shore Community College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | North Shore Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 29% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
309 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
121 transferred to another institution.
North Shore Community College lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.91% |
| Transferred | 121 | 39.16% |
| Dropped Out | 179 | 57.93% |
