by our College Data Analytics TeamMake 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.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 75% students making it past their freshmen year, WPCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| WPCC | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 208 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 33% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 36% 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 WPCC graduation rate 36%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 191 | 33% |
| Six Years | 208 | 36% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 363 | 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 363 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 363 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
151 transferred to another institution.
WPCC lost contact with the remaining 207 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 151 | 41.6% |
| Dropped Out | 207 | 57.0% |
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 WPCC 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 Western Piedmont Community College represent 38.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WPCC graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | WPCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 42% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
127 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
50 transferred to another institution.
WPCC lost contact with the remaining 75 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.57% |
| Transferred | 50 | 39.37% |
| Dropped Out | 75 | 59.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Western Piedmont Community College represent 19.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WPCC graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | WPCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
80 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
WPCC lost contact with the remaining 51 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 28 | 35.00% |
| Dropped Out | 51 | 63.75% |
Returning / full-time students at Western Piedmont Community College represent 20.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WPCC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | WPCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 42% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
67 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
27 transferred to another institution.
WPCC lost contact with the remaining 38 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.99% |
| Transferred | 27 | 40.30% |
| Dropped Out | 38 | 56.72% |
Returning / part-time students at Western Piedmont Community College represent 21.84% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the WPCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | WPCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 28% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 37.80% |
89 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
46 transferred to another institution.
WPCC lost contact with the remaining 43 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 46 | 51.69% |
| Dropped Out | 43 | 48.31% |
