by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding RHCCD 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 100% students making it past their freshmen year, RHCCD has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| RHCCD | 100% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 1245 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% 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 RHCCD graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1021 | 15% |
| Six Years | 1245 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 142 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 5328 | 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 5328 students or 79% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 5328 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1622 transferred to another institution.
RHCCD lost contact with the remaining 3606 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1622 | 30.4% |
| Dropped Out | 3606 | 67.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 53% |
| Black / African-American | 12% |
| Hispanic | 25% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 38% |
| Unknown | 25% |
| White | 35% |
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 RHCCD 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 Rio Hondo College represent 16.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RHCCD graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | RHCCD | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
632 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
182 transferred to another institution.
RHCCD lost contact with the remaining 435 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.37% |
| Transferred | 182 | 28.80% |
| Dropped Out | 435 | 68.83% |
First-time / part-time students at Rio Hondo College represent 38.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RHCCD graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | RHCCD | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
2249 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
47 are still enrolled.
287 transferred to another institution.
RHCCD lost contact with the remaining 1915 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 47 | 2.09% |
| Transferred | 287 | 12.76% |
| Dropped Out | 1915 | 85.15% |
Returning / full-time students at Rio Hondo College represent 6.69% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RHCCD graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | RHCCD | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
286 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
RHCCD lost contact with the remaining 152 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 129 | 45.10% |
| Dropped Out | 152 | 53.15% |
Returning / part-time students at Rio Hondo College represent 38.03% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RHCCD graduation rate was 13%, 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 | RHCCD | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 13% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 37.80% |
2161 non first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
33 are still enrolled.
1024 transferred to another institution.
RHCCD lost contact with the remaining 1104 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 33 | 1.53% |
| Transferred | 1024 | 47.39% |
| Dropped Out | 1104 | 51.09% |
