by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding River Parishes 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 50% students making it past their freshmen year, River Parishes 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 Louisiana, the average is 67.86%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| River Parishes Community College | 50% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Louisiana | 67.86% |
Of the 223 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 27% 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 River Parishes Community College graduation rate 26%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 210 | 24% |
| Six Years | 223 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 12 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 625 | 73% |
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 625 students or 73% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 625 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
River Parishes Community College lost contact with the remaining 505 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 109 | 17.4% |
| Dropped Out | 505 | 80.8% |
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 River Parishes Community College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at River Parishes Community College represent 42.56% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the River Parishes Community College graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | River Parishes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 28% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 47.82% |
259 first-time / full-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
48 transferred to another institution.
River Parishes Community College lost contact with the remaining 205 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 2.32% |
| Transferred | 48 | 18.53% |
| Dropped Out | 205 | 79.15% |
First-time / part-time students at River Parishes Community College represent 16.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the River Parishes Community College graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 12% 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 | River Parishes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 23.72% |
124 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
12 transferred to another institution.
River Parishes Community College lost contact with the remaining 110 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.61% |
| Transferred | 12 | 9.68% |
| Dropped Out | 110 | 88.71% |
Returning / full-time students at River Parishes Community College represent 19.77% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the River Parishes Community College graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 41% 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 | River Parishes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 41% | 55.07% |
100 non first-time / part-time students or 59% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
19 transferred to another institution.
River Parishes Community College lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.00% |
| Transferred | 19 | 19.00% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 79.00% |
Returning / part-time students at River Parishes Community College represent 21.28% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the River Parishes Community College 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | River Parishes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
142 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
River Parishes Community College lost contact with the remaining 111 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.70% |
| Transferred | 30 | 21.13% |
| Dropped Out | 111 | 78.17% |
