by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many UCLA 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 UCLA. 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 97% students making it past their freshmen year, UCLA 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 | |
|---|---|
| UCLA | 97% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 9224 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 87% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 93% of the students had graduated and after eight years 94% 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 UCLA graduation rate 93%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8650 | 87% |
| Six Years | 9224 | 93% |
| Eight Years | 58 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 631 | 6% |
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 631 students or 6% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 631 students who did not complete their degree?
8 are still enrolled.
368 transferred to another institution.
UCLA lost contact with the remaining 254 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.3% |
| Transferred | 368 | 58.3% |
| Dropped Out | 254 | 40.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 82% |
| Asian | 97% |
| Black / African-American | 86% |
| Hawaiian | 85% |
| Hispanic | 89% |
| International | 92% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 91% |
| Unknown | 89% |
| White | 94% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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.
The majority of students at UCLA are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 University of California-Los Angeles represent 66.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCLA graduation rate was 93%, and by the eight year mark, 93% 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 | UCLA | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 84% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 93% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 93% | 47.82% |
441 first-time / full-time students or 7% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
263 transferred to another institution.
UCLA lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.81% |
| Transferred | 263 | 59.64% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 38.55% |
First-time / part-time students at University of California-Los Angeles represent 0.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCLA graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | UCLA | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 30% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 40% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 23.72% |
5 first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
UCLA lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 20.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 2 | 40.00% |
Returning / full-time students at University of California-Los Angeles represent 33.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCLA graduation rate was 94%, and by the eight year mark, 95% 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 | UCLA | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 94% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 95% | 55.07% |
176 non first-time / part-time students or 5% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
97 transferred to another institution.
UCLA lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 97 | 55.11% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 44.89% |
Returning / part-time students at University of California-Los Angeles represent 0.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCLA graduation rate was 76%, and by the eight year mark, 76% 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 | UCLA | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 76% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 76% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 76% | 37.80% |
9 non first-time / part-time students or 24% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
UCLA lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 6 | 66.67% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 33.33% |
