by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SCC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at SCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 71% students making it past their freshmen year, SCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| SCC | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 1362 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 SCC graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1166 | 20% |
| Six Years | 1362 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 140 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 4355 | 74% |
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 4355 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4355 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1448 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 2861 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1448 | 33.2% |
| Dropped Out | 2861 | 65.7% |
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 SCC 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 Santiago Canyon College represent 20.73% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SCC graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 53% 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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 47% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
570 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
187 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 370 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.28% |
| Transferred | 187 | 32.81% |
| Dropped Out | 370 | 64.91% |
First-time / part-time students at Santiago Canyon College represent 28.79% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SCC graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 20% 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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
1349 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
262 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 1071 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 1.19% |
| Transferred | 262 | 19.42% |
| Dropped Out | 1071 | 79.39% |
Returning / full-time students at Santiago Canyon College represent 4.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SCC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 37% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 55.07% |
178 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
98 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.56% |
| Transferred | 98 | 55.06% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 44.38% |
Returning / part-time students at Santiago Canyon College represent 45.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SCC 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 13% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 37.80% |
2258 non first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
901 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 1341 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 0.71% |
| Transferred | 901 | 39.90% |
| Dropped Out | 1341 | 59.39% |
