by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many AWC 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 AWC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, AWC has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Arizona, the average is 67.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| AWC | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arizona | 67.94% |
How many of the estimated 3188 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 30% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 AWC graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2877 | 30% |
| Six Years | 3188 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 187 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 6285 | 65% |
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 6285 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 6285 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1848 transferred to another institution.
AWC lost contact with the remaining 4171 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1848 | 29.4% |
| Dropped Out | 4171 | 66.4% |
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 AWC 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 Arizona Western College represent 12.32% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AWC graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | AWC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 47.82% |
791 first-time / full-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
38 are still enrolled.
227 transferred to another institution.
AWC lost contact with the remaining 526 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 38 | 4.80% |
| Transferred | 227 | 28.70% |
| Dropped Out | 526 | 66.50% |
First-time / part-time students at Arizona Western College represent 13.88% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AWC graduation rate was 13%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | AWC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
1139 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
50 are still enrolled.
301 transferred to another institution.
AWC lost contact with the remaining 788 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 50 | 4.39% |
| Transferred | 301 | 26.43% |
| Dropped Out | 788 | 69.18% |
Returning / full-time students at Arizona Western College represent 20.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AWC graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | AWC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
876 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
38 are still enrolled.
266 transferred to another institution.
AWC lost contact with the remaining 572 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 38 | 4.34% |
| Transferred | 266 | 30.37% |
| Dropped Out | 572 | 65.30% |
Returning / part-time students at Arizona Western College represent 53.19% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the AWC graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | AWC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
3479 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
140 are still enrolled.
1054 transferred to another institution.
AWC lost contact with the remaining 2285 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 140 | 4.02% |
| Transferred | 1054 | 30.30% |
| Dropped Out | 2285 | 65.68% |
