UCSD Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

University of California - San Diego 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Are students coming back to UCSD after their first year? Are UCSD students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.

• UCSD Retention Rate
• UCSD Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• UCSD Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

UCSD Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 94% students making it past their freshmen year, UCSD 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%.

UCSD Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 5,423 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

After four years 55% of the cohort graduated. After six years 87% had completed their degree, and 89% after eight years.

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 UCSD graduation rate 87%.

The typical UCSD student takes 4.29 years to complete their bachelor's degree.

UCSD Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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UCSD Drop Out Rate

UCSD Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.

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 UCSD are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?

First-Time / Full-Time UCSD Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at University of California - San Diego represent 55% of the students in the class of 2015, and 53.70% of UCSD bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 55%, first-time students in the UCSD class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the UCSD graduation rate was 85%, and by the eight year mark, 87% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

UCSD First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time UCSD Drop Out Rates

446 first-time / full-time students or 13% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 86 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• UCSD lost contact with the remaining 443 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at University of California - San Diego represent 0.02% of the students in the class of 2015.

First-Time / Part-Time UCSD Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time UCSD Drop Out Rates

1 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• UCSD lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

2733 UCSD students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 43.71% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 90%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 91%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

UCSD Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time UCSD Drop Out Rates

249 non first-time / part-time students or 9% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• UCSD lost contact with the remaining 249 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

74 UCSD students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 1.18% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 80%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 81%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

UCSD Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time UCSD Drop Out Rates

14 non first-time / part-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• UCSD lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• Image Credit: By Znode at English Wikipedia under License