by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Virginia Western 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 63% students making it past their freshmen year, Virginia Western 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Virginia Western Community College | 63% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
Of the 621 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 32% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 37% 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 Virginia Western Community College graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 560 | 32% |
| Six Years | 621 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 31 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1117 | 63% |
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 1117 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1117 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
291 transferred to another institution.
Virginia Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 803 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 291 | 26.1% |
| Dropped Out | 803 | 71.9% |
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 Virginia Western Community College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Virginia Western Community College represent 51.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Virginia Western Community College graduation rate was 40%, 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 | Virginia Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
536 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
Virginia Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 352 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 2.24% |
| Transferred | 172 | 32.09% |
| Dropped Out | 352 | 65.67% |
First-time / part-time students at Virginia Western Community College represent 26.57% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Virginia Western Community College graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Virginia Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 26% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 23.72% |
339 first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
66 transferred to another institution.
Virginia Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 264 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.65% |
| Transferred | 66 | 19.47% |
| Dropped Out | 264 | 77.88% |
Returning / full-time students at Virginia Western Community College represent 7.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Virginia Western Community College graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | Virginia Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
85 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Virginia Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 60 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.18% |
| Transferred | 24 | 28.24% |
| Dropped Out | 60 | 70.59% |
Returning / part-time students at Virginia Western Community College represent 14.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Virginia Western 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 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Virginia Western Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 35% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 37.80% |
157 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
29 transferred to another institution.
Virginia Western Community College lost contact with the remaining 127 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.64% |
| Transferred | 29 | 18.47% |
| Dropped Out | 127 | 80.89% |
