by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding UC Santa Cruz 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 88% students making it past their freshmen year, UC Santa Cruz 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 | |
|---|---|
| UC Santa Cruz | 88% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 4304 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 67% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 79% of the students had graduated and after eight years 80% 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 UC Santa Cruz graduation rate 79%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3661 | 67% |
| Six Years | 4304 | 79% |
| Eight Years | 55 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1087 | 20% |
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 1087 students or 20% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1087 students who did not complete their degree?
12 are still enrolled.
478 transferred to another institution.
UC Santa Cruz lost contact with the remaining 592 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.1% |
| Transferred | 478 | 44.0% |
| Dropped Out | 592 | 54.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 79% |
| Black / African-American | 74% |
| Hawaiian | 71% |
| Hispanic | 71% |
| International | 76% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 75% |
| Unknown | 84% |
| White | 73% |
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.
The majority of students at UC Santa Cruz 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 Cruz represent 77.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UC Santa Cruz graduation rate was 77%, and by the eight year mark, 78% 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 | UC Santa Cruz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 62% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 77% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 78% | 47.82% |
925 first-time / full-time students or 22% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
460 transferred to another institution.
UC Santa Cruz lost contact with the remaining 453 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.30% |
| Transferred | 460 | 49.73% |
| Dropped Out | 453 | 48.97% |
First-time / part-time students at University of California-Santa Cruz represent 0.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UC Santa Cruz graduation rate was 6%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | UC Santa Cruz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 6% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
14 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
10 transferred to another institution.
UC Santa Cruz lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 10 | 71.43% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 28.57% |
Returning / full-time students at University of California-Santa Cruz represent 21.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UC Santa Cruz graduation rate was 88%, and by the eight year mark, 89% 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 | UC Santa Cruz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 88% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 89% | 55.07% |
136 non first-time / part-time students or 11% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
8 transferred to another institution.
UC Santa Cruz lost contact with the remaining 124 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.94% |
| Transferred | 8 | 5.88% |
| Dropped Out | 124 | 91.18% |
Returning / part-time students at University of California-Santa Cruz represent 0.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the UC Santa Cruz graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 66% 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 | UC Santa Cruz | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 60% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 66% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 66% | 37.80% |
12 non first-time / part-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
UC Santa Cruz lost contact with the remaining 11 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 8.33% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 11 | 91.67% |
