Student Achievement Data
Research into enrollment characteristics of our students, evidence of their success, and their opinions is critical for institutional effectiveness, program review, enrollment management and other areas of College operations. Some important institutional-level student achievement data is listed below. You may also want to visit the WVNCC Consumer Information page, check out our profile in the 2021 WV Higher Education Almanac, or explore national reports that utilize our data such as WVNCC College Navigator; College Scorecard; and College Affordability and Transparency Center.
Retention and Graduation
Retention and graduation rates are measured annually. Students are tracked in cohort groups by the year they first enter the college. Retention rates measure the percentage of students in a fall semester cohort who either re-enroll or successfully complete a program by the next fall semester. This table shows retention rates for students who entered the college as first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students.
Fall-to-Fall Retention Rates
Cohort Year
2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
50% | 51% | 52% | 55% | 53% |
Data Source: IPEDS
Graduation rates measure the percentage of students who complete their program of study within 150% of the normal time it is expected to take for a student to complete all requirements of their program.
150% Graduation Rates
Cohort Year
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
19% | 24% | 30% | 31% | 30% |
Data Source: IPEDS
Licensure Exams
Graduates from some academic programs are required to take a licensing exam in order to be employed in their field. We use our student’s pass rates on their first attempt on an exam to gauge the success rate.
Pass Rates of Undergraduate Degree Completers on Licensure / Certification Examinations
2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
80% | 77% | 82% | 83% | 86% |
Data Source: WVNCC Program Directors
Employment Outcomes
The percentage of our students who are working in West Virginia after graduation and their median wages provide some insight into the employment outcomes of our graduates. Visit West Virginia’s Higher Education Data Portal to explore wage data for our graduates working in West Virginia.
Percent of Graduates Working in West Virginia
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
85% | 81% | 81% | 66% |
Data Source: Workforce WV
Updated Fall 2022