by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Surry Community College first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Surry Community College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 73% students making it past their freshmen year, Surry Community College has freshmen retention rates above 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 | |
|---|---|
| Surry Community College | 73% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 1170 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 46% of the students had graduated and after eight years 47% 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 Surry Community College graduation rate 46%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1090 | 43% |
| Six Years | 1170 | 46% |
| Eight Years | 42 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1349 | 53% |
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 1349 students or 53% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1349 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
548 transferred to another institution.
Surry Community College lost contact with the remaining 778 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 548 | 40.6% |
| Dropped Out | 778 | 57.7% |
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 Surry 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 Surry Community College represent 13.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Surry Community College graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | Surry Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 41% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
203 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
66 transferred to another institution.
Surry Community College lost contact with the remaining 136 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.49% |
| Transferred | 66 | 32.51% |
| Dropped Out | 136 | 67.00% |
First-time / part-time students at Surry Community College represent 4.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Surry Community College 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Surry Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 23.72% |
83 first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Surry Community College lost contact with the remaining 58 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.20% |
| Transferred | 24 | 28.92% |
| Dropped Out | 58 | 69.88% |
Returning / full-time students at Surry Community College represent 36.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Surry Community College graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 55% 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 | Surry Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 55% | 55.07% |
424 non first-time / part-time students or 45% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
199 transferred to another institution.
Surry Community College lost contact with the remaining 220 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.18% |
| Transferred | 199 | 46.93% |
| Dropped Out | 220 | 51.89% |
Returning / part-time students at Surry Community College represent 44.66% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Surry Community College graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | Surry Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 42% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
639 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
259 transferred to another institution.
Surry Community College lost contact with the remaining 364 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 2.50% |
| Transferred | 259 | 40.53% |
| Dropped Out | 364 | 56.96% |
