by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Pima County Community College District 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 68% students making it past their freshmen year, Pima County Community College District 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 Arizona, the average is 67.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Pima County Community College District | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arizona | 67.94% |
Of the 1976 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 16% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 21% 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 Pima County Community College District graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1678 | 16% |
| Six Years | 1976 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 140 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 8095 | 79% |
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 8095 students or 79% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 8095 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3578 transferred to another institution.
Pima County Community College District lost contact with the remaining 4298 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3578 | 44.2% |
| Dropped Out | 4298 | 53.1% |
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 Pima County Community College District 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 Pima Community College represent 20.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pima County Community College District graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Pima County Community College District | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
1339 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
53 are still enrolled.
392 transferred to another institution.
Pima County Community College District lost contact with the remaining 894 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 53 | 3.96% |
| Transferred | 392 | 29.28% |
| Dropped Out | 894 | 66.77% |
First-time / part-time students at Pima Community College represent 27.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pima County Community College District graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | Pima County Community College District | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 16% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
2283 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
80 are still enrolled.
525 transferred to another institution.
Pima County Community College District lost contact with the remaining 1678 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 80 | 3.50% |
| Transferred | 525 | 23.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1678 | 73.50% |
Returning / full-time students at Pima Community College represent 13.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pima County Community College District graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | Pima County Community College District | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 31% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 55.07% |
926 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
447 transferred to another institution.
Pima County Community College District lost contact with the remaining 459 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 2.16% |
| Transferred | 447 | 48.27% |
| Dropped Out | 459 | 49.57% |
Returning / part-time students at Pima Community College represent 39.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Pima County Community College District graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 12% 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 | Pima County Community College District | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 11% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 37.80% |
3547 non first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
66 are still enrolled.
2214 transferred to another institution.
Pima County Community College District lost contact with the remaining 1267 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 66 | 1.86% |
| Transferred | 2214 | 62.42% |
| Dropped Out | 1267 | 35.72% |
