by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding South Piedmont 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.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 57% students making it past their freshmen year, South Piedmont 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| South Piedmont Community College | 57% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 198 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% 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 South Piedmont Community College graduation rate 28%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 177 | 25% |
| Six Years | 198 | 28% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 496 | 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 496 students or 71% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 496 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
188 transferred to another institution.
South Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 299 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 188 | 37.9% |
| Dropped Out | 299 | 60.3% |
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 South Piedmont 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 South Piedmont Community College represent 18.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | South Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
80 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
32 transferred to another institution.
South Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 47 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 32 | 40.00% |
| Dropped Out | 47 | 58.75% |
First-time / part-time students at South Piedmont Community College represent 33.33% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 18% 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 | South Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 18% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
191 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
43 transferred to another institution.
South Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 143 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 2.62% |
| Transferred | 43 | 22.51% |
| Dropped Out | 143 | 74.87% |
Returning / full-time students at South Piedmont Community College represent 16.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Piedmont Community College graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | South Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 43% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 55.07% |
65 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
34 transferred to another institution.
South Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 34 | 52.31% |
| Dropped Out | 31 | 47.69% |
Returning / part-time students at South Piedmont Community College represent 32.19% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the South Piedmont 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | South Piedmont Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 28% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 37.80% |
160 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
79 transferred to another institution.
South Piedmont Community College lost contact with the remaining 78 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.88% |
| Transferred | 79 | 49.38% |
| Dropped Out | 78 | 48.75% |
