by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SC4 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 SC4. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 60% students making it past their freshmen year, SC4 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SC4 | 60% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
How many of the estimated 301 students in the class of 2023 actually finished 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, 29% of the students had graduated and after eight years 31% 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 SC4 graduation rate 29%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 251 | 24% |
| Six Years | 301 | 29% |
| Eight Years | 23 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 717 | 69% |
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 717 students or 69% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 717 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
221 transferred to another institution.
SC4 lost contact with the remaining 480 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 221 | 30.8% |
| Dropped Out | 480 | 66.9% |
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 SC4 are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 students at St Clair County Community College represent 45.12% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SC4 graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | SC4 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
305 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
105 transferred to another institution.
SC4 lost contact with the remaining 192 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.62% |
| Transferred | 105 | 34.43% |
| Dropped Out | 192 | 62.95% |
First-time / part-time students at St Clair County Community College represent 26.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SC4 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 | SC4 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
216 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
43 transferred to another institution.
SC4 lost contact with the remaining 167 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.78% |
| Transferred | 43 | 19.91% |
| Dropped Out | 167 | 77.31% |
Returning / full-time students at St Clair County Community College represent 9.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SC4 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | SC4 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
68 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
SC4 lost contact with the remaining 39 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 28 | 41.18% |
| Dropped Out | 39 | 57.35% |
Returning / part-time students at St Clair County Community College represent 19.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the SC4 graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | SC4 | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 33% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
128 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
45 transferred to another institution.
SC4 lost contact with the remaining 82 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 45 | 35.16% |
| Dropped Out | 82 | 64.06% |
