by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Northampton 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 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Northampton Community 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Northampton Community College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
There were approximately 964 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 23% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 28% of the students had graduated and after eight years 29% 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 Northampton Community College graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 775 | 23% |
| Six Years | 964 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 36 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2405 | 71% |
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 2405 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2405 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1425 transferred to another institution.
Northampton Community College lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1425 | 59.3% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 0.8% |
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 Northampton 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 Northampton County Area Community College represent 47.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northampton Community College graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | Northampton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
1040 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
265 are still enrolled.
755 transferred to another institution.
Northampton Community College lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 265 | 25.48% |
| Transferred | 755 | 72.60% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 1.92% |
First-time / part-time students at Northampton County Area Community College represent 25.61% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northampton Community College graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 15% 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 | Northampton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 15% | 23.72% |
751 first-time / part-time students or 85% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
451 are still enrolled.
300 transferred to another institution.
Northampton Community College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 451 | 60.05% |
| Transferred | 300 | 39.95% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Northampton County Area Community College represent 12.47% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northampton Community College graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | Northampton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 38% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
263 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
102 are still enrolled.
161 transferred to another institution.
Northampton Community College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 102 | 38.78% |
| Transferred | 161 | 61.22% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / part-time students at Northampton County Area Community College represent 14.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Northampton Community College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Northampton Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 37.80% |
351 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
142 are still enrolled.
209 transferred to another institution.
Northampton Community College lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 142 | 40.46% |
| Transferred | 209 | 59.54% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
