by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Southwest Texas Junior 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 58% students making it past their freshmen year, Southwest Texas Junior 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southwest Texas Junior College | 58% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
How many of the estimated 972 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 38% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 41% of the students had graduated and after eight years 42% 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 Southwest Texas Junior College graduation rate 41%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 896 | 38% |
| Six Years | 972 | 41% |
| Eight Years | 25 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1353 | 58% |
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 1353 students or 58% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1353 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
437 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Texas Junior College lost contact with the remaining 890 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 437 | 32.3% |
| Dropped Out | 890 | 65.8% |
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 Southwest Texas Junior 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 Southwest Texas College represent 46.43% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Texas Junior College graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 47% 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 | Southwest Texas Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 46% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 47.82% |
581 first-time / full-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
188 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Texas Junior College lost contact with the remaining 386 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.20% |
| Transferred | 188 | 32.36% |
| Dropped Out | 386 | 66.44% |
First-time / part-time students at Southwest Texas College represent 37.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Texas Junior College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | Southwest Texas Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 36% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 23.72% |
557 first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
143 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Texas Junior College lost contact with the remaining 395 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 3.41% |
| Transferred | 143 | 25.67% |
| Dropped Out | 395 | 70.92% |
Returning / full-time students at Southwest Texas College represent 6.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Texas Junior College graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | Southwest Texas Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 49% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 55.07% |
75 non first-time / part-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
43 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Texas Junior College lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 43 | 57.33% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 42.67% |
Returning / part-time students at Southwest Texas College represent 9.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Texas Junior College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Southwest Texas Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 36% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 37.80% |
140 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
63 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Texas Junior College lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 63 | 45.00% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 55.00% |
