by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom 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.
At this time we lack retention rate information for Pierce College District.
Of the 3689 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3490 | 40% |
| Six Years | 3689 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 66 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 5039 | 57% |
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 5039 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 5039 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2510 transferred to another institution.
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom lost contact with the remaining 2461 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2510 | 49.8% |
| Dropped Out | 2461 | 48.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 38% |
| Asian | 37% |
| Black / African-American | 17% |
| Hawaiian | 21% |
| Hispanic | 23% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 21% |
| Unknown | 43% |
| White | 37% |
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 Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom 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 Pierce College District represent 16.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
918 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
422 transferred to another institution.
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom lost contact with the remaining 489 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 0.76% |
| Transferred | 422 | 45.97% |
| Dropped Out | 489 | 53.27% |
First-time / part-time students at Pierce College District represent 18.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 30% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 23.72% |
1119 first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
587 transferred to another institution.
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom lost contact with the remaining 516 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 1.43% |
| Transferred | 587 | 52.46% |
| Dropped Out | 516 | 46.11% |
Returning / full-time students at Pierce College District represent 22.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 51% 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 | Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 51% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 51% | 55.07% |
984 non first-time / part-time students or 49% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
471 transferred to another institution.
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom lost contact with the remaining 501 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.22% |
| Transferred | 471 | 47.87% |
| Dropped Out | 501 | 50.91% |
Returning / part-time students at Pierce College District represent 42.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 42% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 45% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 37.80% |
2018 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
1030 transferred to another institution.
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom lost contact with the remaining 955 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 1.64% |
| Transferred | 1030 | 51.04% |
| Dropped Out | 955 | 47.32% |
