by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many GTC 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 GTC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 58% students making it past their freshmen year, GTC 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 | |
|---|---|
| GTC | 58% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
Of the 1261 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 30% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 32% of the students had graduated and after eight years 33% 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 GTC graduation rate 32%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1179 | 30% |
| Six Years | 1261 | 32% |
| Eight Years | 31 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2590 | 67% |
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 2590 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2590 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1060 transferred to another institution.
GTC lost contact with the remaining 1467 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1060 | 40.9% |
| Dropped Out | 1467 | 56.6% |
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 GTC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Gwinnett Technical College represent 22.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GTC graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | GTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 48% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 47.82% |
459 first-time / full-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
13 are still enrolled.
203 transferred to another institution.
GTC lost contact with the remaining 243 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 13 | 2.83% |
| Transferred | 203 | 44.23% |
| Dropped Out | 243 | 52.94% |
First-time / part-time students at Gwinnett Technical College represent 50.46% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GTC graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | GTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
1447 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
41 are still enrolled.
503 transferred to another institution.
GTC lost contact with the remaining 903 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 41 | 2.83% |
| Transferred | 503 | 34.76% |
| Dropped Out | 903 | 62.40% |
Returning / full-time students at Gwinnett Technical College represent 7.39% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GTC graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 54% 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 | GTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 53% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
133 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
80 transferred to another institution.
GTC lost contact with the remaining 53 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 80 | 60.15% |
| Dropped Out | 53 | 39.85% |
Returning / part-time students at Gwinnett Technical College represent 19.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GTC 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | GTC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 26% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 37.80% |
551 non first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
274 transferred to another institution.
GTC lost contact with the remaining 268 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.63% |
| Transferred | 274 | 49.73% |
| Dropped Out | 268 | 48.64% |
