The Importance of College Retention and Graduation Rates
There are many factors that influence the cost of college degree – annual tuition fees, living expenses, travel expenses, books and offsetting financial aid and/or scholarships. One of the hidden costs is how long a student spends in college: if a 4-year degree takes 5 or 6 years that’s extra years of expense and the opportunity cost of not being full-time employed (or getting a head start on grad school). Another impact of low first-year retention rates and/or low 4-year graduation rates is a lessened ability to create a close-knit community of students and friends that stick together through college. College retention and graduation rates are another factor to consider when looking at colleges.
Below is a summary of first year retention rates and 4-year graduation rates for select Bay Area, California and out-of-state colleges (both public and private). It is important to note that these are aggregate measures for each college and that these statistics could vary materially by program, or by college within a university. Ask the college admissions officer for more granular statistics specific to the major you are considering.
| Bay Area 4-Year Colleges | Type |
First Year Retention Rate |
Four Year |
| St. Mary’s College of California | Private |
81% |
50% |
| UC – Berkeley | Public |
96% |
66% |
| Stanford University | Private |
98% |
79% |
| San Francisco State University | Public |
76% |
12% |
| San Jose State University | Public |
80% |
9% |
| Santa Clara University | Private |
93% |
78% |
| CSU – East Bay | Public |
75% |
17% |
| California College of the Arts | Private |
73% |
27% |
| Mills College | Private |
74% |
53% |
First year retention rates and four year graduation rates of additional colleges outside the Bay area:
| Select 4-Year Colleges (California) | Type |
First Year Retention Rate |
Four Year |
| California Institute of Technology | Private |
98% |
73% |
| Chapman University | Private |
87% |
53% |
| California Institute of the Arts | Private |
78% |
53% |
| Pepperdine University | Private |
89% |
73% |
| CalPoly – San Luis Obispo | Public |
90% |
25% |
| San Diego State University | Public |
82% |
29% |
| Thomas Aquinas College | Private |
85% |
71% |
| UC – Davis | Public |
90% |
51% |
| UC – Irvine | Public |
94% |
58% |
| UC – Los Angeles | Public |
97% |
67% |
| University of Southern California | Private |
|
|
| Premier Out of State 4-Year Colleges | Type |
First Year Retention Rate |
Four Year |
| Harvard University | Private |
97% |
88% |
| Princeton University | Private |
98% |
90% |
| Yale University | Private |
99% |
90% |
| M.I.T. | Private |
98% |
83% |
| Columbia University | Private |
98% |
87% |
Source: US News and World Report College Rankings
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