by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding RACC 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 66% students making it past their freshmen year, RACC 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 | |
|---|---|
| RACC | 66% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
How many of the estimated 316 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 19% of the students had graduated and after eight years 21% 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 RACC graduation rate 19%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 246 | 15% |
| Six Years | 316 | 19% |
| Eight Years | 20 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1286 | 79% |
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 1286 students or 79% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1286 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
419 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 815 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 419 | 32.6% |
| Dropped Out | 815 | 63.4% |
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 RACC 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 Reading Area Community College represent 22.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RACC graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 22% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 47.82% |
284 first-time / full-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
79 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 197 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.82% |
| Transferred | 79 | 27.82% |
| Dropped Out | 197 | 69.37% |
First-time / part-time students at Reading Area Community College represent 38.14% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RACC graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
541 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
111 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 410 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 3.70% |
| Transferred | 111 | 20.52% |
| Dropped Out | 410 | 75.79% |
Returning / full-time students at Reading Area Community College represent 16.03% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RACC 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 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 33% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
170 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
100 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 60 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 5.88% |
| Transferred | 100 | 58.82% |
| Dropped Out | 60 | 35.29% |
Returning / part-time students at Reading Area Community College represent 23.16% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the RACC graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 37.80% |
291 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 148 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 4.81% |
| Transferred | 129 | 44.33% |
| Dropped Out | 148 | 50.86% |
