by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding SMC 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 85% students making it past their freshmen year, SMC 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 | |
|---|---|
| SMC | 85% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 617 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 68% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 76% of the students had graduated and after eight years 77% 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 SMC graduation rate 76%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 550 | 68% |
| Six Years | 617 | 76% |
| Eight Years | 6 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 187 | 23% |
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 187 students or 23% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 187 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
93 transferred to another institution.
SMC lost contact with the remaining 93 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 93 | 49.7% |
| Dropped Out | 93 | 49.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 76% |
| Black / African-American | 54% |
| Hawaiian | 53% |
| Hispanic | 68% |
| International | 53% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 67% |
| Unknown | 71% |
| White | 72% |
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.
The majority of students at SMC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Saint Mary’s College of California represent 69.63% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMC graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 75% 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 | SMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 67% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 74% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 47.82% |
139 first-time / full-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
66 transferred to another institution.
SMC lost contact with the remaining 72 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.72% |
| Transferred | 66 | 47.48% |
| Dropped Out | 72 | 51.80% |
First-time / part-time students at Saint Mary’s College of California represent 1.73% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMC graduation rate was 79%, and by the eight year mark, 79% 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 | SMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 79% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 79% | 23.72% |
3 first-time / part-time students or 21% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
SMC lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 100.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Saint Mary’s College of California represent 22.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMC graduation rate was 80%, and by the eight year mark, 80% 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 | SMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 80% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 80% | 55.07% |
36 non first-time / part-time students or 20% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
SMC lost contact with the remaining 13 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 23 | 63.89% |
| Dropped Out | 13 | 36.11% |
Returning / part-time students at Saint Mary’s College of California represent 6.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMC graduation rate was 82%, and by the eight year mark, 82% 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 | SMC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 71% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 82% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 82% | 37.80% |
9 non first-time / part-time students or 18% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
SMC lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 44.44% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 55.56% |
