by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many OCC 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 OCC. 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 55% students making it past their freshmen year, OCC 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 New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| OCC | 55% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
Of the 765 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, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 23% 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 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 684 | 20% |
| Six Years | 765 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 23 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 2603 | 77% |
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 2603 students or 77% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2603 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1034 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 1540 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1034 | 39.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1540 | 59.2% |
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.
The majority of students at OCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Onondaga Community College represent 68.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | 21% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 23% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 47.82% |
1779 first-time / full-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
681 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 1078 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 1.12% |
| Transferred | 681 | 38.28% |
| Dropped Out | 1078 | 60.60% |
First-time / part-time students at Onondaga Community College represent 10.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC 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 | OCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
317 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
96 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 217 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.26% |
| Transferred | 96 | 30.28% |
| Dropped Out | 217 | 68.45% |
Returning / full-time students at Onondaga Community College represent 14.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | 28% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 55.07% |
340 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
181 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 154 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 181 | 53.24% |
| Dropped Out | 154 | 45.29% |
Returning / part-time students at Onondaga Community College represent 6.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the OCC graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | 19% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 37.80% |
167 non first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
76 transferred to another institution.
OCC lost contact with the remaining 91 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 76 | 45.51% |
| Dropped Out | 91 | 54.49% |
