by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Richmond 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 70% students making it past their freshmen year, Richmond Community College has freshmen retention rates near 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 | |
|---|---|
| Richmond Community College | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 265 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
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 Richmond Community College graduation rate 38%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 253 | 36% |
| Six Years | 265 | 38% |
| Eight Years | 7 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 428 | 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 428 students or 61% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 428 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
190 transferred to another institution.
Richmond Community College lost contact with the remaining 228 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 190 | 44.4% |
| Dropped Out | 228 | 53.3% |
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 Richmond Community College 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 Richmond Community College represent 39.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Richmond Community College graduation rate was 47%, 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 | Richmond Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 47.82% |
143 first-time / full-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
Richmond Community College lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 2.80% |
| Transferred | 55 | 38.46% |
| Dropped Out | 84 | 58.74% |
First-time / part-time students at Richmond Community College represent 19.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Richmond Community College graduation rate was 27%, 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 | Richmond Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
100 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
Richmond Community College lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.00% |
| Transferred | 28 | 28.00% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 70.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Richmond Community College represent 18.29% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Richmond Community College graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Richmond Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 43% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 55.07% |
71 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
35 transferred to another institution.
Richmond Community College lost contact with the remaining 35 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.41% |
| Transferred | 35 | 49.30% |
| Dropped Out | 35 | 49.30% |
Returning / part-time students at Richmond Community College represent 22.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Richmond Community College graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Richmond Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 28% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 37.80% |
114 non first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
72 transferred to another institution.
Richmond Community College lost contact with the remaining 39 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.63% |
| Transferred | 72 | 63.16% |
| Dropped Out | 39 | 34.21% |
