Southern Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding Southern 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.

• Southern Retention Rate
• Southern Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Southern Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Southern Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 50% students making it past their freshmen year, Southern 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 West Virginia, the average is 70.53%.

Southern Graduation Rates

There were approximately 175 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 27% 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 Southern graduation rate 27%.

Southern Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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.

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Southern Drop Out Rate

Approximately 478 students or 73% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 478 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 129 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 335 who we assumed dropped out.

Southern Graduation Rates by Race/EthnicityWe don’t have graduation rate by race/ethnicity data for Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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.

The majority of students at Southern are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.

First-Time / Full-Time Southern Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 68.59% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Southern graduation rate was 27%, 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.

Southern First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

323 first-time / full-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 11 are still enrolled.

• 80 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 232 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 12.59% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Southern graduation rate was 12%, 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.

First-Time / Part-Time Southern Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

73 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 3 are still enrolled.

• 13 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 57 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 13.35% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Southern graduation rate was 39%, 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.

Southern Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

54 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 24 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Returning / part-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 5.46% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Southern 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.

Southern Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

28 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 12 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 16 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics