WPCC Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Western Piedmont Community College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding WPCC 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.

• WPCC Retention Rate
• WPCC 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
• WPCC Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

WPCC Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.

With 65% students making it past their freshmen year, WPCC has freshmen retention rates similar to 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%.

WPCC Graduation Rates

Of the 243 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?

After four years 27% of the cohort graduated. After six years 16% had completed their degree, and 17% after eight years.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official WPCC graduation rate 16%.

WPCC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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WPCC Drop Out Rate

Approximately 1296 students or 83% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 1296 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 298 transferred to another institution.

• WPCC lost contact with the remaining 989 who we assumed dropped out.

WPCC Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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.

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

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 WPCC Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Western Piedmont Community College represent 24% of the students in the class of 2015, and 48.56% of WPCC bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 27%, first-time students in the WPCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the WPCC graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

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

First-Time / Full-Time WPCC Drop Out Rates

249 first-time / full-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 60 transferred to another institution.

• WPCC lost contact with the remaining 186 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Western Piedmont Community College represent 26.44% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 11%, first-time, part-time students in the WPCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 13%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

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

First-Time / Part-Time WPCC Drop Out Rates

359 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 5 are still enrolled.

• 98 transferred to another institution.

• WPCC lost contact with the remaining 256 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

364 WPCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 23.36% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 10%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 12%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

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

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

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

Of those who did not finish:

• 1 are still enrolled.

• 26 transferred to another institution.

• WPCC lost contact with the remaining 295 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

410 WPCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 26.32% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 10%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 11%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

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

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

366 non first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 114 transferred to another institution.

• WPCC lost contact with the remaining 252 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