by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Chico State 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.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 83% students making it past their freshmen year, Chico State 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 | |
|---|---|
| Chico State | 83% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
There were approximately 3,181 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 71% of the students had graduated and after eight years 73% of this class completed their degree.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official Chico State graduation rate 71%.
The average length of time it takes an Chico State undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.67 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2,108 | 47% |
| Six Years | 3,181 | 71% |
| Eight Years | 108 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,206 | 27% |
Approximately 1206 students or 27% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1206 students who did not complete their degree?
18 are still enrolled.
739 transferred to another institution.
Chico State lost contact with the remaining 446 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 1.5% |
| Transferred | 739 | 61.3% |
| Dropped Out | 446 | 37.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 62% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 57% |
| Hawaiian | 83% |
| Hispanic | 61% |
| International | 59% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 61% |
| Unknown | 69% |
| White | 71% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Chico State are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at California State University - Chico represent 54% of the students in the class of 2015, and 50.05% of Chico State bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 26%, first-time students in the Chico State class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Chico State graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 69% 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.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | Chico State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 66% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 69% | 47.82% |
750 first-time / full-time students or 31% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
504 transferred to another institution.
Chico State lost contact with the remaining 231 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 2.40% |
| Transferred | 504 | 67.20% |
| Dropped Out | 231 | 30.80% |
First-time / part-time students at California State University - Chico represent 0.76% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 32%, first-time, part-time students in the Chico State class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 35%.
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 Completions | Chico State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 32% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 23.72% |
22 first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
17 transferred to another institution.
Chico State lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 17 | 77.27% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 22.73% |
1799 Chico State students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 40.02% 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 80%, 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 81%.
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.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | Chico State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 80% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 81% | 55.07% |
345 non first-time / part-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
Chico State lost contact with the remaining 168 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.45% |
| Transferred | 172 | 49.86% |
| Dropped Out | 168 | 48.70% |
236 Chico State students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 5.25% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 59%, 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 62%.
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.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | Chico State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 59% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 37.80% |
89 non first-time / part-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
46 transferred to another institution.
Chico State lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.12% |
| Transferred | 46 | 51.69% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 47.19% |
