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SBCC Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

36% 4-Year Graduation Rate
29% 6-Year Graduation Rate
63% Retention Rate

Santa Barbara City College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many SBCC first-year students return for their second year? How many graduate and how long does it take them? On this page we'll explore SBCC retention rates, graduation rates, drop out rates and more.

SBCC Retention Rate

63% Freshmen Retention Rate
Below Average Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 63% students making it past their freshmen year, SBCC has freshmen retention rates similar to 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%.

SBCC Retention  63 out of 100
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California Retention  73 out of 100
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Retention Rate
SBCC63%
Nationwide70.57%
California73.07%
Low retention rates may be a signal that a lot of students plan on transferring after a year or two. Is that the case here?

SBCC Graduation Rates

29% 6-Year Graduation Rate
24.79% Transfer Rate
43.57% Dropout Rate

There were approximately 6,411 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 29% of the students had graduated and after eight years 30% of this class completed their degree.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official SBCC graduation rate 29%.

Four Year Graduation Rate  26%
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100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  29%
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100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  30%
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100%

SBCC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years5,78026%
Six Years6,41129%
Eight Years3211%
Did Not Complete15,49170%
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.
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SBCC Drop Out Rate

Approximately 15491 students or 70% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 15491 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.0%
Transferred550935.6%
Dropped Out9,68262.5%

SBCC Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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.

The majority of students at SBCC 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 SBCC Graduation Rates

11% First-Time, Full-Time
39% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Santa Barbara City College represent 11% of the students in the class of 2015, and 14.26% of SBCC bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 36%, first-time students in the SBCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the SBCC graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Four Year Graduation Rate  36 out of 100
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Six Year Graduation Rate  39 out of 100
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Eight Year Graduation Rate  40 out of 100
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SBCC First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsSBCCNationwide
Four Years36%37.92%
Six Years39%46.43%
Eight Years40%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time SBCC Drop Out Rates

1409 first-time / full-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred42229.95%
Dropped Out96968.77%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

6% First-Time, Part-Time
15% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / part-time students at Santa Barbara City College represent 6.14% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 15%, first-time, part-time students in the SBCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 16%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  15 out of 100
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Eight Year Graduation Rate  16 out of 100
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First-Time / Part-Time SBCC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsSBCCNationwide
Four Years12%14.37%
Six Years15%21.59%
Eight Years16%23.72%

First-Time / Part-Time SBCC Drop Out Rates

1150 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled90.78%
Transferred27123.57%
Dropped Out87075.65%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

29% Returning, Full-Time
47% 6-Year Grad Rate
Average Grad Rate

6498 SBCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 29.24% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 47%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 49%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  47 out of 100
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Eight Year Graduation Rate  49 out of 100
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SBCC Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsSBCCNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years47%53.83%
Eight Years49%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time SBCC Drop Out Rates

3341 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled672.01%
Transferred140942.17%
Dropped Out1,86555.82%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

54% Returning, Part-Time
19% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

12012 SBCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 54.05% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 19%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 20%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  19 out of 100
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Eight Year Graduation Rate  20 out of 100
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SBCC Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsSBCCNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years19%36.03%
Eight Years20%37.80%

Non First-Time / Part-Time SBCC Drop Out Rates

9591 non first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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Returning / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled2062.15%
Transferred340735.52%
Dropped Out5,97862.33%

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