by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding OCC 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 69% students making it past their freshmen year, OCC has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in New Jersey, the average is 74.83%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| OCC | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New Jersey | 74.83% |
There were approximately 1234 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 35% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 40% of the students had graduated and after eight years 42% 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 OCC graduation rate 40%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1089 | 35% |
| Six Years | 1234 | 40% |
| Eight Years | 58 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1819 | 58% |
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 1819 students or 58% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1819 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
731 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 1046 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 731 | 40.2% |
| Dropped Out | 1046 | 57.5% |
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.
The majority of students at OCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Ocean County College represent 62.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | OCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
1023 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
32 are still enrolled.
349 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 642 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 32 | 3.13% |
| Transferred | 349 | 34.12% |
| Dropped Out | 642 | 62.76% |
First-time / part-time students at Ocean County College represent 14.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC 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 | OCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
347 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
113 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 230 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.15% |
| Transferred | 113 | 32.56% |
| Dropped Out | 230 | 66.28% |
Returning / full-time students at Ocean County College represent 15.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | OCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 55.07% |
253 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
161 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 88 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.58% |
| Transferred | 161 | 63.64% |
| Dropped Out | 88 | 34.78% |
Returning / part-time students at Ocean County College represent 8.45% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | OCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 25% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
196 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
108 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 86 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.02% |
| Transferred | 108 | 55.10% |
| Dropped Out | 86 | 43.88% |
