by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding CSM 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 65% students making it past their freshmen year, CSM 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 Maryland, the average is 71.84%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CSM | 65% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Maryland | 71.84% |
How many of the estimated 664 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 19% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 20% 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 CSM graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 510 | 14% |
| Six Years | 664 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 58 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,865 | 80% |
Approximately 2865 students or 80% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2865 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1205 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 1598 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1205 | 42.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1,598 | 55.8% |
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 CSM 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 College of Southern Maryland represent 35% of the students in the class of 2015, and 45.03% of CSM bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 19%, first-time students in the CSM class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the CSM graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 24% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
921 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
363 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 535 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 363 | 39.41% |
| Dropped Out | 535 | 58.09% |
First-time / part-time students at College of Southern Maryland represent 35.29% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 11%, first-time, part-time students in the CSM class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 13%.
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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
1100 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
309 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 762 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 2.64% |
| Transferred | 309 | 28.09% |
| Dropped Out | 762 | 69.27% |
323 CSM students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 9.00% 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 31%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 33%.
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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 31% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 55.07% |
218 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
138 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 78 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.92% |
| Transferred | 138 | 63.30% |
| Dropped Out | 78 | 35.78% |
760 CSM students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 21.19% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 17%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 18%.
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 | CSM | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 17% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 37.80% |
626 non first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
395 transferred to another institution.
CSM lost contact with the remaining 223 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.28% |
| Transferred | 395 | 63.10% |
| Dropped Out | 223 | 35.62% |
