by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Gaston 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 54% students making it past their freshmen year, Gaston College 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 | |
|---|---|
| Gaston College | 54% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
There were approximately 2512 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 39% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% 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 Gaston College graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2265 | 39% |
| Six Years | 2512 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 80 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 3219 | 55% |
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 3219 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3219 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1199 transferred to another institution.
Gaston College lost contact with the remaining 1954 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1199 | 37.2% |
| Dropped Out | 1954 | 60.7% |
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 Gaston 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 Gaston College represent 12.86% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gaston 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 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Gaston College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
471 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
156 transferred to another institution.
Gaston College lost contact with the remaining 308 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 156 | 33.12% |
| Dropped Out | 308 | 65.39% |
First-time / part-time students at Gaston College represent 10.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gaston College graduation rate was 16%, 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 | Gaston College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 16% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
507 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
143 transferred to another institution.
Gaston College lost contact with the remaining 356 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.58% |
| Transferred | 143 | 28.21% |
| Dropped Out | 356 | 70.22% |
Returning / full-time students at Gaston College represent 29.34% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gaston College graduation rate was 58%, and by the eight year mark, 59% 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 | Gaston College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 58% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 59% | 55.07% |
701 non first-time / part-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
17 are still enrolled.
281 transferred to another institution.
Gaston College lost contact with the remaining 403 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 17 | 2.43% |
| Transferred | 281 | 40.09% |
| Dropped Out | 403 | 57.49% |
Returning / part-time students at Gaston College represent 47.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Gaston College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Gaston College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
1540 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
619 transferred to another institution.
Gaston College lost contact with the remaining 887 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 2.21% |
| Transferred | 619 | 40.19% |
| Dropped Out | 887 | 57.60% |
