by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many SCU first-year students return for their second year? How many graduate and how long does it take them? On this page we'll explore SCU retention rates, graduation rates, drop out rates and more.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 93% students making it past their freshmen year, SCU 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 | |
|---|---|
| SCU | 93% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 1,365 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 85% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 90% of the students had graduated and after eight years 90% 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 SCU graduation rate 90%.
The typical SCU student takes 4.06 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1,297 | 85% |
| Six Years | 1,365 | 90% |
| Eight Years | 6 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 148 | 10% |
Approximately 148 students or 10% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 148 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
99 transferred to another institution.
SCU lost contact with the remaining 48 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 99 | 66.9% |
| Dropped Out | 48 | 32.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 93% |
| Black / African-American | 98% |
| Hawaiian | 67% |
| Hispanic | 90% |
| International | 88% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 95% |
| Unknown | 97% |
| White | 92% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 SCU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at Santa Clara University represent 84% of the students in the class of 2015, and 84.32% of SCU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 85%, first-time students in the SCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SCU graduation rate was 90%, and by the eight year mark, 90% 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 | SCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 85% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 90% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 90% | 47.82% |
127 first-time / full-time students or 10% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
88 transferred to another institution.
SCU lost contact with the remaining 38 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.79% |
| Transferred | 88 | 69.29% |
| Dropped Out | 38 | 29.92% |
First-time / part-time students at Santa Clara University represent 0.13% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 100%, first-time, part-time students in the SCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.
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 | SCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 100% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 100% | 23.72% |
232 SCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 15.26% 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 91%, 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 91%.
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 | SCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 91% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 91% | 55.07% |
21 non first-time / part-time students or 9% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
11 transferred to another institution.
SCU lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 11 | 52.38% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 47.62% |
3 SCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.20% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 67%, 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 100%.
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 | SCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 67% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 100% | 37.80% |
