by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many CGTC 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 CGTC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 56% students making it past their freshmen year, CGTC 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 Georgia, the average is 65.40%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CGTC | 56% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
Of the 1808 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 46% 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 CGTC graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1734 | 43% |
| Six Years | 1808 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 28 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2187 | 54% |
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 2187 students or 54% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2187 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
727 transferred to another institution.
CGTC lost contact with the remaining 1409 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 727 | 33.2% |
| Dropped Out | 1409 | 64.4% |
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 CGTC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Central Georgia Technical College represent 24.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CGTC graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | CGTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
522 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
CGTC lost contact with the remaining 335 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.87% |
| Transferred | 172 | 32.95% |
| Dropped Out | 335 | 64.18% |
First-time / part-time students at Central Georgia Technical College represent 46.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CGTC graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | CGTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 43% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 23.72% |
1063 first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
22 are still enrolled.
258 transferred to another institution.
CGTC lost contact with the remaining 783 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 22 | 2.07% |
| Transferred | 258 | 24.27% |
| Dropped Out | 783 | 73.66% |
Returning / full-time students at Central Georgia Technical College represent 8.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CGTC graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | CGTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 55.07% |
158 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
72 transferred to another institution.
CGTC lost contact with the remaining 82 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.53% |
| Transferred | 72 | 45.57% |
| Dropped Out | 82 | 51.90% |
Returning / part-time students at Central Georgia Technical College represent 19.91% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the CGTC graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | CGTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 44% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 37.80% |
444 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
225 transferred to another institution.
CGTC lost contact with the remaining 209 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.25% |
| Transferred | 225 | 50.68% |
| Dropped Out | 209 | 47.07% |
