by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SMCC 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 SMCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 57% students making it past their freshmen year, SMCC 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 Maine, the average is 71.23%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SMCC | 57% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maine | 71.23% |
There were approximately 648 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 SMCC graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 548 | 24% |
| Six Years | 648 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 12 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1618 | 71% |
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 1618 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1618 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
582 transferred to another institution.
SMCC lost contact with the remaining 1004 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 582 | 36.0% |
| Dropped Out | 1004 | 62.1% |
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 SMCC 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 Southern Maine Community College represent 44.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMCC graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | SMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 29% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
709 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
252 transferred to another institution.
SMCC lost contact with the remaining 445 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.69% |
| Transferred | 252 | 35.54% |
| Dropped Out | 445 | 62.76% |
First-time / part-time students at Southern Maine Community College represent 24.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMCC graduation rate was 21%, 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 | SMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
434 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
115 transferred to another institution.
SMCC lost contact with the remaining 310 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.07% |
| Transferred | 115 | 26.50% |
| Dropped Out | 310 | 71.43% |
Returning / full-time students at Southern Maine Community College represent 13.13% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMCC graduation rate was 37%, 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 | SMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 37% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
189 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
103 transferred to another institution.
SMCC lost contact with the remaining 80 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 3.17% |
| Transferred | 103 | 54.50% |
| Dropped Out | 80 | 42.33% |
Returning / part-time students at Southern Maine Community College represent 17.95% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SMCC graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | SMCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
286 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
112 transferred to another institution.
SMCC lost contact with the remaining 169 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.75% |
| Transferred | 112 | 39.16% |
| Dropped Out | 169 | 59.09% |
