by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Santa Fe 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.
There were approximately 2736 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 40% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% 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 Santa Fe College graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2576 | 40% |
| Six Years | 2736 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 30 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 3644 | 57% |
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 3644 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3644 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2066 transferred to another institution.
Santa Fe College lost contact with the remaining 1532 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2066 | 56.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1532 | 42.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Asian | 65% |
| Black / African-American | 31% |
| Hispanic | 53% |
| International | 47% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 55% |
| Unknown | 83% |
| White | 55% |
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 Santa Fe College 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 Santa Fe College represent 31.62% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Santa Fe College graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | Santa Fe College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 52% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 47.82% |
913 first-time / full-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
543 transferred to another institution.
Santa Fe College lost contact with the remaining 364 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.66% |
| Transferred | 543 | 59.47% |
| Dropped Out | 364 | 39.87% |
First-time / part-time students at Santa Fe College represent 28.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Santa Fe College graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Santa Fe College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
1324 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
535 transferred to another institution.
Santa Fe College lost contact with the remaining 760 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 2.19% |
| Transferred | 535 | 40.41% |
| Dropped Out | 760 | 57.40% |
Returning / full-time students at Santa Fe College represent 13.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Santa Fe College graduation rate was 70%, and by the eight year mark, 71% 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 | Santa Fe College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 55.07% |
249 non first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
176 transferred to another institution.
Santa Fe College lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.20% |
| Transferred | 176 | 70.68% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 28.11% |
Returning / part-time students at Santa Fe College represent 26.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Santa Fe College graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Santa Fe College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
1158 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
812 transferred to another institution.
Santa Fe College lost contact with the remaining 338 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 0.69% |
| Transferred | 812 | 70.12% |
| Dropped Out | 338 | 29.19% |
