by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many ACC 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 ACC. 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 72% students making it past their freshmen year, ACC 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| ACC | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
There were approximately 468 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 27% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 34% 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 ACC graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 386 | 27% |
| Six Years | 468 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 23 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 949 | 66% |
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 949 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 949 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
420 transferred to another institution.
ACC lost contact with the remaining 508 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 420 | 44.3% |
| Dropped Out | 508 | 53.5% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at ACC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Alamance Community College represent 42.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ACC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | ACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
346 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
148 transferred to another institution.
ACC lost contact with the remaining 187 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 3.18% |
| Transferred | 148 | 42.77% |
| Dropped Out | 187 | 54.05% |
First-time / part-time students at Alamance Community College represent 34.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ACC graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 28% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | ACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
359 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
121 transferred to another institution.
ACC lost contact with the remaining 230 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.23% |
| Transferred | 121 | 33.70% |
| Dropped Out | 230 | 64.07% |
Returning / full-time students at Alamance Community College represent 6.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ACC graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | ACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
60 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
29 transferred to another institution.
ACC lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 29 | 48.33% |
| Dropped Out | 31 | 51.67% |
Returning / part-time students at Alamance Community College represent 16.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the ACC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | ACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
184 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
122 transferred to another institution.
ACC lost contact with the remaining 60 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.09% |
| Transferred | 122 | 66.30% |
| Dropped Out | 60 | 32.61% |
