by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Sierra 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 72% students making it past their freshmen year, Sierra College 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 | |
|---|---|
| Sierra College | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 2051 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 30% of the students had graduated and after eight years 32% 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 Sierra College graduation rate 30%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1752 | 26% |
| Six Years | 2051 | 30% |
| Eight Years | 125 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 4660 | 68% |
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 4660 students or 68% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4660 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1928 transferred to another institution.
Sierra College lost contact with the remaining 2659 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1928 | 41.4% |
| Dropped Out | 2659 | 57.1% |
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 Sierra 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 Sierra College represent 31.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sierra College 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 | Sierra College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 53% | 47.82% |
1022 first-time / full-time students or 47% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
414 transferred to another institution.
Sierra College lost contact with the remaining 591 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 1.66% |
| Transferred | 414 | 40.51% |
| Dropped Out | 591 | 57.83% |
First-time / part-time students at Sierra College represent 27.78% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sierra College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | Sierra College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 22% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
1443 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
30 are still enrolled.
393 transferred to another institution.
Sierra College lost contact with the remaining 1020 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 30 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 393 | 27.23% |
| Dropped Out | 1020 | 70.69% |
Returning / full-time students at Sierra College represent 10.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sierra College graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Sierra College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 34% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
453 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
253 transferred to another institution.
Sierra College lost contact with the remaining 195 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.10% |
| Transferred | 253 | 55.85% |
| Dropped Out | 195 | 43.05% |
Returning / part-time students at Sierra College represent 30.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Sierra College graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Sierra College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
1742 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
868 transferred to another institution.
Sierra College lost contact with the remaining 853 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 1.21% |
| Transferred | 868 | 49.83% |
| Dropped Out | 853 | 48.97% |
