Whatcom Community College Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Whatcom Community College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding Whatcom Community 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.

• Whatcom Community College Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.

With % students making it past their freshmen year, Whatcom Community College has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in Washington, the average is 73.95%.

Whatcom Community College Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 2,635 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

33% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 42% in six years, and 43% in eight years.

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 Whatcom Community College graduation rate 42%.

Whatcom Community College Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rate

Approximately 3635 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 3635 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 1773 transferred to another institution.

• Whatcom Community College lost contact with the remaining 1782 who we assumed dropped out.

Whatcom Community College Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.

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 Whatcom Community College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.

First-Time / Full-Time Whatcom Community College Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Whatcom Community College represent 16% of the students in the class of 2015, and 13.55% of Whatcom Community College bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 33%, first-time students in the Whatcom Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the Whatcom Community College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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.

Whatcom Community College First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rates

628 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 324 transferred to another institution.

• Whatcom Community College lost contact with the remaining 295 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Whatcom Community College represent 12.05% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 22%, first-time, part-time students in the Whatcom Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 23%.

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.

First-Time / Part-Time Whatcom Community College Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rates

590 first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 15 are still enrolled.

• 292 transferred to another institution.

• Whatcom Community College lost contact with the remaining 283 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

1416 Whatcom Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 22.39% 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 57%, 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 58%.

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.

Whatcom Community College Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rates

592 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 9 are still enrolled.

• 282 transferred to another institution.

• Whatcom Community College lost contact with the remaining 301 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

3154 Whatcom Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 49.87% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 41%, 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 42%.

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.

Whatcom Community College Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time Whatcom Community College Drop Out Rates

1825 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 47 are still enrolled.

• 875 transferred to another institution.

• Whatcom Community College lost contact with the remaining 903 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics