SFCM Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

San Francisco Conservatory of Music 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Are students coming back to SFCM after their first year? Are SFCM students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.

• SFCM Retention Rate
• SFCM 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
• SFCM Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

SFCM Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 79% students making it past their freshmen year, SFCM 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%.

SFCM Graduation Rates

Of the 34 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?

Four years after beginning their degree, 58% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 63% of the students had graduated and after eight years 63% 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 SFCM graduation rate 63%.

The average length of time it takes an SFCM undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.05 years.

SFCM Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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SFCM Drop Out Rate

SFCM Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 SFCM are considered 'non-traditional students' who either not first-time, or not full-time, or both.

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 SFCM Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at San Francisco Conservatory of Music represent 74% of the students in the class of 2015, and 73.53% of SFCM bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 58%, first-time students in the SFCM class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the SFCM graduation rate was 63%, and by the eight year mark, 63% 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.

SFCM First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time SFCM Drop Out Rates

15 first-time / full-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• SFCM lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on SFCM first-time, part-time students.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

14 SFCM students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 25.93% 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 64%, 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 64%.

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.

SFCM Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time SFCM Drop Out Rates

5 non first-time / part-time students or 36% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• SFCM lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on SFCM returning, part-time students.

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