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UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

53% 4-Year Graduation Rate
79% 6-Year Graduation Rate
85% Retention Rate

University of California - Santa Cruz 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

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

UC Santa Cruz Retention Rate

85% Freshmen Retention Rate
Good Retention Rate

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

With 85% 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%.

UC Santa Cruz Retention  85 out of 100
0%
100%
California Retention  73 out of 100
0%
100%
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Retention Rate
UC Santa Cruz85%
Nationwide70.57%
California73.07%

UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rates

79% 6-Year Graduation Rate
4.70% Transfer Rate
14.25% Dropout Rate

How many of the estimated 3,840 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

After four years 53% of the cohort graduated. After six years 79% had completed their degree, and 81% after eight years.

The official graduation rate of UC Santa Cruz is 79%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.

The typical UC Santa Cruz student takes 4.35 years to complete their bachelor's degree.

Four Year Graduation Rate  60%
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  79%
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  81%
0%
100%

UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years2,91160%
Six Years3,84079%
Eight Years742%
Did Not Complete92519%
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.
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UC Santa Cruz Drop Out Rate

Approximately 925 students or 19% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 925 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled50.5%
Transferred22824.6%
Dropped Out69174.7%

UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

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Race/EthnicityGraduation Rate
American Indian or Alaskan Native80%
Asian83%
Black / African-American74%
Hawaiian60%
Hispanic71%
International72%
Multi-Ethnic73%
Unknown80%
White76%

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 UC Santa Cruz 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 UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rates

74% First-Time, Full-Time
78% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at University of California - Santa Cruz represent 74% of the students in the class of 2015, and 72.71% of UC Santa Cruz bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 53%, first-time students in the UC Santa Cruz class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the UC Santa Cruz graduation rate was 78%, and by the eight year mark, 80% 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.

Four Year Graduation Rate  53 out of 100
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  78 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  80 out of 100
0%
100%

UC Santa Cruz First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsUC Santa CruzNationwide
Four Years53%37.92%
Six Years78%46.43%
Eight Years80%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time UC Santa Cruz Drop Out Rates

735 first-time / full-time students or 20% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled50.68%
Transferred19526.53%
Dropped Out53572.79%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

0% First-Time, Part-Time
75% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

First-time / part-time students at University of California - Santa Cruz represent 0.16% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 75%, first-time, part-time students in the UC Santa Cruz class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 75%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

Six Year Graduation Rate  75 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  75 out of 100
0%
100%

First-Time / Part-Time UC Santa Cruz Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsUC Santa CruzNationwide
Four Years25%14.37%
Six Years75%21.59%
Eight Years75%23.72%

First-Time / Part-Time UC Santa Cruz Drop Out Rates

2 first-time / part-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred00.00%
Dropped Out2100.00%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

25% Returning, Full-Time
85% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

1195 UC Santa Cruz students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 24.64% 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 85%, 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 86%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  85 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  86 out of 100
0%
100%

UC Santa Cruz Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsUC Santa CruzNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years85%53.83%
Eight Years86%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time UC Santa Cruz Drop Out Rates

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

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled10.60%
Transferred3319.64%
Dropped Out13479.76%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

1% Returning, Part-Time
57% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

46 UC Santa Cruz students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.95% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 57%, 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 57%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  57 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  57 out of 100
0%
100%

UC Santa Cruz Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsUC Santa CruzNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years57%36.03%
Eight Years57%37.80%

Non First-Time / Part-Time UC Santa Cruz Drop Out Rates

20 non first-time / part-time students or 43% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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Returning / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred00.00%
Dropped Out20100.00%

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