by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding San Jose City College 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 65% students making it past their freshmen year, San Jose City College 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| San Jose City College | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 870 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 19% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 San Jose City College graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 725 | 19% |
| Six Years | 870 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 51 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2851 | 76% |
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 2851 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2851 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1237 transferred to another institution.
San Jose City College lost contact with the remaining 1576 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1237 | 43.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1576 | 55.3% |
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 San Jose City College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at San Jose City College represent 15.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the San Jose City College graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | San Jose City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
339 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
89 transferred to another institution.
San Jose City College lost contact with the remaining 245 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 89 | 26.25% |
| Dropped Out | 245 | 72.27% |
First-time / part-time students at San Jose City College represent 21.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the San Jose City College graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | San Jose City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
618 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
San Jose City College lost contact with the remaining 478 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.78% |
| Transferred | 129 | 20.87% |
| Dropped Out | 478 | 77.35% |
Returning / full-time students at San Jose City College represent 10.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the San Jose City College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | San Jose City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
244 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
123 transferred to another institution.
San Jose City College lost contact with the remaining 120 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.41% |
| Transferred | 123 | 50.41% |
| Dropped Out | 120 | 49.18% |
Returning / part-time students at San Jose City College represent 53.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the San Jose City College graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | San Jose City College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 17% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 37.80% |
1650 non first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
896 transferred to another institution.
San Jose City College lost contact with the remaining 733 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 896 | 54.30% |
| Dropped Out | 733 | 44.42% |
