by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Central Piedmont Community College 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Central Piedmont Community College 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Central Piedmont Community College | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 1366 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 20% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 25% 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 Central Piedmont Community College graduation rate 23%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1180 | 20% |
| Six Years | 1366 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 82 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 4420 | 75% |
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 4420 students or 75% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4420 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1999 transferred to another institution.
Central Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 2341 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1999 | 45.2% |
| Dropped Out | 2341 | 53.0% |
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 Central Piedmont Community College 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 Central Piedmont Community College represent 25.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | Central Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 31% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 47.82% |
992 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
21 are still enrolled.
535 transferred to another institution.
Central Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 436 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 21 | 2.12% |
| Transferred | 535 | 53.93% |
| Dropped Out | 436 | 43.95% |
First-time / part-time students at Central Piedmont Community College represent 31.51% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Central Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
1543 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
36 are still enrolled.
476 transferred to another institution.
Central Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 1031 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 36 | 2.33% |
| Transferred | 476 | 30.85% |
| Dropped Out | 1031 | 66.82% |
Returning / full-time students at Central Piedmont Community College represent 16.05% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | Central Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
596 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
338 transferred to another institution.
Central Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 255 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 0.50% |
| Transferred | 338 | 56.71% |
| Dropped Out | 255 | 42.79% |
Returning / part-time students at Central Piedmont Community College represent 27.27% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Central Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | Central Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 37.80% |
1289 non first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
650 transferred to another institution.
Central Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 619 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 1.55% |
| Transferred | 650 | 50.43% |
| Dropped Out | 619 | 48.02% |
