by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Palomar 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Palomar College 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Palomar College | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 2229 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 19% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 Palomar College graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1831 | 19% |
| Six Years | 2229 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 132 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 7475 | 76% |
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 7475 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 7475 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3142 transferred to another institution.
Palomar College lost contact with the remaining 4200 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3142 | 42.0% |
| Dropped Out | 4200 | 56.2% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at Palomar 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 Palomar College represent 22.48% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Palomar College graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | Palomar College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
1260 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
436 transferred to another institution.
Palomar College lost contact with the remaining 802 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 436 | 34.60% |
| Dropped Out | 802 | 63.65% |
First-time / part-time students at Palomar College represent 30.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Palomar College graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | Palomar College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
2450 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
54 are still enrolled.
663 transferred to another institution.
Palomar College lost contact with the remaining 1733 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 54 | 2.20% |
| Transferred | 663 | 27.06% |
| Dropped Out | 1733 | 70.73% |
Returning / full-time students at Palomar College represent 9.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Palomar 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Palomar College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 28% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
673 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
431 transferred to another institution.
Palomar College lost contact with the remaining 231 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.63% |
| Transferred | 431 | 64.04% |
| Dropped Out | 231 | 34.32% |
Returning / part-time students at Palomar College represent 37.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Palomar College graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Palomar College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 14% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 37.80% |
3092 non first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
46 are still enrolled.
1612 transferred to another institution.
Palomar College lost contact with the remaining 1434 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 46 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 1612 | 52.13% |
| Dropped Out | 1434 | 46.38% |
