by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UCSB 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 93% students making it past their freshmen year, UCSB 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 | |
|---|---|
| UCSB | 93% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
How many of the estimated 6117 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 77% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 87% of the students had graduated and after eight years 88% 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 UCSB graduation rate 87%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 5428 | 77% |
| Six Years | 6117 | 87% |
| Eight Years | 72 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 875 | 12% |
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 875 students or 12% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 875 students who did not complete their degree?
7 are still enrolled.
546 transferred to another institution.
UCSB lost contact with the remaining 318 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 0.8% |
| Transferred | 546 | 62.4% |
| Dropped Out | 318 | 36.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 75% |
| Asian | 89% |
| Black / African-American | 85% |
| Hawaiian | 64% |
| Hispanic | 78% |
| International | 84% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 91% |
| Unknown | 89% |
| White | 88% |
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 UCSB are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara represent 70.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCSB graduation rate was 86%, and by the eight year mark, 87% 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 | UCSB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 73% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 86% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 87% | 47.82% |
655 first-time / full-time students or 13% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
421 transferred to another institution.
UCSB lost contact with the remaining 223 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.68% |
| Transferred | 421 | 64.27% |
| Dropped Out | 223 | 34.05% |
First-time / part-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara represent 0.24% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCSB graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | UCSB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 47% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 23.72% |
9 first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
5 transferred to another institution.
UCSB lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 5 | 55.56% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 44.44% |
Returning / full-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara represent 28.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCSB graduation rate was 90%, and by the eight year mark, 90% 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 | UCSB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 90% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 90% | 55.07% |
198 non first-time / part-time students or 10% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
116 transferred to another institution.
UCSB lost contact with the remaining 82 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 116 | 58.59% |
| Dropped Out | 82 | 41.41% |
Returning / part-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara represent 0.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UCSB graduation rate was 75%, and by the eight year mark, 75% 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 | UCSB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 70% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 75% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 37.80% |
13 non first-time / part-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
UCSB lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 30.77% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 69.23% |
