by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding West LA College 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.
Of the 1157 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 13% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 16% of the students had graduated and after eight years 18% 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 West LA College graduation rate 16%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 945 | 13% |
| Six Years | 1157 | 16% |
| Eight Years | 115 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 5765 | 82% |
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 5765 students or 82% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 5765 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2391 transferred to another institution.
West LA College lost contact with the remaining 3335 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2391 | 41.5% |
| Dropped Out | 3335 | 57.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 42% |
| Black / African-American | 11% |
| Hawaiian | 25% |
| Hispanic | 25% |
| International | 28% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 12% |
| Unknown | 26% |
| White | 39% |
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 West LA 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 West Los Angeles College represent 8.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the West LA College graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | West LA College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 47.82% |
386 first-time / full-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
92 transferred to another institution.
West LA College lost contact with the remaining 291 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 92 | 23.83% |
| Dropped Out | 291 | 75.39% |
First-time / part-time students at West Los Angeles College represent 19.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the West LA College graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | West LA College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
1126 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
181 transferred to another institution.
West LA College lost contact with the remaining 937 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 0.71% |
| Transferred | 181 | 16.07% |
| Dropped Out | 937 | 83.21% |
Returning / full-time students at West Los Angeles College represent 9.24% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the West LA College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | West LA College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 55.07% |
446 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
194 transferred to another institution.
West LA College lost contact with the remaining 246 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 194 | 43.50% |
| Dropped Out | 246 | 55.16% |
Returning / part-time students at West Los Angeles College represent 62.65% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the West LA College graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | West LA College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 12% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 37.80% |
3807 non first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
1924 transferred to another institution.
West LA College lost contact with the remaining 1861 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 0.58% |
| Transferred | 1924 | 50.54% |
| Dropped Out | 1861 | 48.88% |
