by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Ventura College 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 Ventura College. 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 74% students making it past their freshmen year, Ventura College 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 | |
|---|---|
| Ventura College | 74% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1515 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 30% of the students had graduated and after eight years 31% 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 Ventura College graduation rate 30%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1333 | 26% |
| Six Years | 1515 | 30% |
| Eight Years | 87 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3502 | 69% |
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 3502 students or 69% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3502 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1243 transferred to another institution.
Ventura College lost contact with the remaining 2173 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1243 | 35.5% |
| Dropped Out | 2173 | 62.1% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at Ventura College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Ventura College represent 28.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ventura College graduation rate was 52%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | Ventura College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 47% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 52% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 47.82% |
666 first-time / full-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
35 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
Ventura College lost contact with the remaining 502 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 35 | 5.26% |
| Transferred | 129 | 19.37% |
| Dropped Out | 502 | 75.38% |
First-time / part-time students at Ventura College represent 24.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ventura College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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 | Ventura College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
914 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
150 transferred to another institution.
Ventura College lost contact with the remaining 740 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 2.63% |
| Transferred | 150 | 16.41% |
| Dropped Out | 740 | 80.96% |
Returning / full-time students at Ventura College represent 8.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ventura College graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Ventura College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 45% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 55.07% |
225 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
118 transferred to another institution.
Ventura College lost contact with the remaining 104 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.33% |
| Transferred | 118 | 52.44% |
| Dropped Out | 104 | 46.22% |
Returning / part-time students at Ventura College represent 39.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ventura College graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Ventura College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 15% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 37.80% |
1697 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
24 are still enrolled.
846 transferred to another institution.
Ventura College lost contact with the remaining 827 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 24 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 846 | 49.85% |
| Dropped Out | 827 | 48.73% |
