by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding CFCC retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 7% students making it past their freshmen year, CFCC has freshmen retention rates similar to 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 | |
|---|---|
| CFCC | 7% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
How many of the estimated 1,142 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 28% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 30% of this class completed their degree.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official CFCC graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 979 | 24% |
| Six Years | 1,142 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 84 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,890 | 70% |
Approximately 2890 students or 70% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2890 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1313 transferred to another institution.
CFCC lost contact with the remaining 1522 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1313 | 45.4% |
| Dropped Out | 1,522 | 52.7% |
Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.
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 CFCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-time / full-time students at Cape Fear Community College represent 28% of the students in the class of 2015, and 33.45% of CFCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 28%, first-time students in the CFCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the CFCC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | CFCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
757 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
372 transferred to another institution.
CFCC lost contact with the remaining 372 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 372 | 49.14% |
| Dropped Out | 372 | 49.14% |
First-time / part-time students at Cape Fear Community College represent 34.72% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 16%, first-time, part-time students in the CFCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 19%.
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 | CFCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 16% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 23.72% |
1154 first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
35 are still enrolled.
362 transferred to another institution.
CFCC lost contact with the remaining 757 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 35 | 3.03% |
| Transferred | 362 | 31.37% |
| Dropped Out | 757 | 65.60% |
557 CFCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 13.49% 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 46%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 48%.
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 | CFCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 55.07% |
290 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
180 transferred to another institution.
CFCC lost contact with the remaining 108 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.69% |
| Transferred | 180 | 62.07% |
| Dropped Out | 108 | 37.24% |
975 CFCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 23.61% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 28%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 29%.
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 | CFCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 28% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 37.80% |
689 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
399 transferred to another institution.
CFCC lost contact with the remaining 285 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.73% |
| Transferred | 399 | 57.91% |
| Dropped Out | 285 | 41.36% |
