by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Wharton County 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, Wharton County Junior 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wharton County Junior College | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
How many of the estimated 685 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 18% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 21% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 Wharton County Junior College graduation rate 21%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 583 | 18% |
| Six Years | 685 | 21% |
| Eight Years | 83 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 2459 | 76% |
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 2459 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2459 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1461 transferred to another institution.
Wharton County Junior College lost contact with the remaining 956 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1461 | 59.4% |
| Dropped Out | 956 | 38.9% |
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.
A meaningful share of students at Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College represent 44.75% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wharton County Junior College graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | Wharton County Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 25% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 47.82% |
1033 first-time / full-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
587 transferred to another institution.
Wharton County Junior College lost contact with the remaining 427 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 1.84% |
| Transferred | 587 | 56.82% |
| Dropped Out | 427 | 41.34% |
First-time / part-time students at Wharton County Junior College represent 22.65% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wharton County Junior College graduation rate was 15%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Wharton County Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
606 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
336 transferred to another institution.
Wharton County Junior College lost contact with the remaining 259 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 1.82% |
| Transferred | 336 | 55.45% |
| Dropped Out | 259 | 42.74% |
Returning / full-time students at Wharton County Junior College represent 11.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wharton County Junior College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Wharton County Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 55.07% |
268 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
198 transferred to another institution.
Wharton County Junior College lost contact with the remaining 65 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.87% |
| Transferred | 198 | 73.88% |
| Dropped Out | 65 | 24.25% |
Returning / part-time students at Wharton County Junior College represent 20.67% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wharton County Junior College graduation rate was 16%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | Wharton County Junior College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
552 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
340 transferred to another institution.
Wharton County Junior College lost contact with the remaining 205 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 340 | 61.59% |
| Dropped Out | 205 | 37.14% |
