by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many RGV Careers first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at RGV Careers. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 69% students making it past their freshmen year, RGV Careers has freshmen retention rates near the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| RGV Careers | 69% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
How many of the estimated 263 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 75% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 75% of the students had graduated and after eight years 75% 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 RGV Careers graduation rate 75%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 263 | 75% |
| Six Years | 263 | 75% |
| Eight Years | 0 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 87 | 25% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 87 students or 25% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 87 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
10 transferred to another institution.
RGV Careers lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 10 | 11.5% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 88.5% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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.
A meaningful share of students at RGV Careers are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 Rio Grande Valley College represent 32.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RGV Careers graduation rate was 81%, and by the eight year mark, 81% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | RGV Careers | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 81% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 81% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 81% | 47.82% |
22 first-time / full-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
RGV Careers lost contact with the remaining 21 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.55% |
| Dropped Out | 21 | 95.45% |
We don’t have data for this cohort at Rio Grande Valley College.
Returning / full-time students at Rio Grande Valley College represent 67.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RGV Careers graduation rate was 72%, and by the eight year mark, 72% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | RGV Careers | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 72% | 55.07% |
65 non first-time / part-time students or 28% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
9 transferred to another institution.
RGV Careers lost contact with the remaining 56 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 9 | 13.85% |
| Dropped Out | 56 | 86.15% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data for this cohort at Rio Grande Valley College.
