by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Sacramento City 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, Sacramento City 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 | |
|---|---|
| Sacramento City | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1878 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 14% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 17% of the students had graduated and after eight years 19% 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 Sacramento City graduation rate 17%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1515 | 14% |
| Six Years | 1878 | 17% |
| Eight Years | 196 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 8827 | 81% |
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 8827 students or 81% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 8827 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3832 transferred to another institution.
Sacramento City lost contact with the remaining 4846 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3832 | 43.4% |
| Dropped Out | 4846 | 54.9% |
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 Sacramento City are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Sacramento City College represent 13.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sacramento City graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | Sacramento City | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 47.82% |
895 first-time / full-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
27 are still enrolled.
218 transferred to another institution.
Sacramento City lost contact with the remaining 650 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 27 | 3.02% |
| Transferred | 218 | 24.36% |
| Dropped Out | 650 | 72.63% |
First-time / part-time students at Sacramento City College represent 32.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sacramento City 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Sacramento City | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
3037 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
60 are still enrolled.
1325 transferred to another institution.
Sacramento City lost contact with the remaining 1652 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 60 | 1.98% |
| Transferred | 1325 | 43.63% |
| Dropped Out | 1652 | 54.40% |
Returning / full-time students at Sacramento City College represent 7.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sacramento City graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | Sacramento City | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 33% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 55.07% |
570 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
276 transferred to another institution.
Sacramento City lost contact with the remaining 283 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.93% |
| Transferred | 276 | 48.42% |
| Dropped Out | 283 | 49.65% |
Returning / part-time students at Sacramento City College represent 45.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sacramento City graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | Sacramento City | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 12% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 37.80% |
4325 non first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
51 are still enrolled.
2013 transferred to another institution.
Sacramento City lost contact with the remaining 2261 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 51 | 1.18% |
| Transferred | 2013 | 46.54% |
| Dropped Out | 2261 | 52.28% |
