by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Oakland 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 56% students making it past their freshmen year, Oakland 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Oakland Community College | 56% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
How many of the estimated 6593 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, 30% of the students had graduated and after eight years 32% 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 Oakland Community College graduation rate 30%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5882 | 27% |
| Six Years | 6593 | 30% |
| Eight Years | 340 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 14795 | 68% |
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 14795 students or 68% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 14795 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
6152 transferred to another institution.
Oakland Community College lost contact with the remaining 8172 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 6152 | 41.6% |
| Dropped Out | 8172 | 55.2% |
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 Oakland Community 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 Oakland Community College represent 7.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakland Community College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Oakland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 23% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 47.82% |
1159 first-time / full-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
570 transferred to another institution.
Oakland Community College lost contact with the remaining 555 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 2.93% |
| Transferred | 570 | 49.18% |
| Dropped Out | 555 | 47.89% |
First-time / part-time students at Oakland Community College represent 13.04% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakland Community College graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | Oakland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
2444 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
86 are still enrolled.
735 transferred to another institution.
Oakland Community College lost contact with the remaining 1623 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 86 | 3.52% |
| Transferred | 735 | 30.07% |
| Dropped Out | 1623 | 66.41% |
Returning / full-time students at Oakland Community College represent 14.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakland Community College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | Oakland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 55.07% |
1817 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
55 are still enrolled.
917 transferred to another institution.
Oakland Community College lost contact with the remaining 845 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 55 | 3.03% |
| Transferred | 917 | 50.47% |
| Dropped Out | 845 | 46.51% |
Returning / part-time students at Oakland Community College represent 65.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Oakland Community College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Oakland Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 37.80% |
9375 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
296 are still enrolled.
3930 transferred to another institution.
Oakland Community College lost contact with the remaining 5149 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 296 | 3.16% |
| Transferred | 3930 | 41.92% |
| Dropped Out | 5149 | 54.92% |
