by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding DCCC 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 66% students making it past their freshmen year, DCCC 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| DCCC | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
How many of the estimated 474 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 38% of the students had graduated and after eight years 39% 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 DCCC graduation rate 38%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 441 | 36% |
| Six Years | 474 | 38% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 758 | 61% |
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 758 students or 61% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 758 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
371 transferred to another institution.
DCCC lost contact with the remaining 376 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 371 | 48.9% |
| Dropped Out | 376 | 49.6% |
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 DCCC 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 Davidson-Davie Community College represent 36.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCCC graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | DCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 49% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
226 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
91 transferred to another institution.
DCCC lost contact with the remaining 134 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.44% |
| Transferred | 91 | 40.27% |
| Dropped Out | 134 | 59.29% |
First-time / part-time students at Davidson-Davie Community College represent 27.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCCC graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | DCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
251 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
96 transferred to another institution.
DCCC lost contact with the remaining 150 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.99% |
| Transferred | 96 | 38.25% |
| Dropped Out | 150 | 59.76% |
Returning / full-time students at Davidson-Davie Community College represent 13.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCCC 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | DCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 47% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 55.07% |
92 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
62 transferred to another institution.
DCCC lost contact with the remaining 28 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 62 | 67.39% |
| Dropped Out | 28 | 30.43% |
Returning / part-time students at Davidson-Davie Community College represent 22.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DCCC graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | DCCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
189 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
122 transferred to another institution.
DCCC lost contact with the remaining 64 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.59% |
| Transferred | 122 | 64.55% |
| Dropped Out | 64 | 33.86% |
