Student Achievement
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires that institutions publish “statements of its goals for student achievement and the success of students in achieving those goals” during the Fifth-Year Interim Report and reaffirmation of accreditation. The disclosures provided are intended to satisfy SACSCOC policy requirements in between routine compliance certifications. View the SACSCOC Policy on Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure for more information on this requirement.
The student achievement measures below are closely aligned to the institution’s mission to “strengthen our community by empowering students to realize their full potential and achieve economic and social mobility through the transformative power of education.” The data corresponding to each student achievement measure is refreshed annually.
This page was last updated on November 11, 2025.
Course Success
PVCC measures course success rates to monitor students' achievement, progression, and momentum through their academic careers. The table below lists the success rates by modality by year. Success rate includes grades of C or above.
Threshold of Acceptability: 70%
Goal Target: 80%
Achievement: 80.3%
| Category | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 78.6% | 78.2% | 80.1% | 79.7% | 80.3% |
| Online Success Rate | 75.6% | 73.8% | 73.6% | 73.2% | 75.4% |
| Face to Face (non-DE) | 84.2% | 75.7% | 77.6% | 77.7% | 78.6% |
| Face to Face DE | 89.4% | 93.8% | 95.5% | 94.3% | 93.1% |
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
- More Information about success rates
The chart below shows success rates for different course delivery methods over five academic years:
- Overall Success Rate: Increased from 78.6% in 2020–2021 to 80.3% in 2024–2025, with a slight dip in 2023–2024.
- Online Success Rate: Remained the lowest among all methods, starting at 75.6%, dropping to 73.2% in 2023–2024, and recovering to 75.4% in 2024–2025.
- Face-to-Face (non-Dual-Enrollment): Stayed relatively stable, ranging between 75.7% and 78.6%.
- Face-to-Face (Dual Enrollment): Consistently the highest success rate, rising from 89.4% in 2020–2021 to a peak of 95.5% in 2022–2023, then slightly declining to 93.1% in 2024–2025.
Key Insight: Face-to-Face Dual Enrollment courses have the highest success rates, while online courses show the most variability and remain below other methods.
Source: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
Retention
PVCC uses student retention rates as a measure of student achievement and progression. PVCC uses fall first time in college (FTIC) cohorts to measure the percentage of students who re-enroll after the first semester (fall to spring retention rates) and first year (fall to fall retention rates). The tables below list the retention rates by cohort each year for fall to spring retention (first table) and fall to fall retention (second table).
Fall to Spring Retention
Threshold of Acceptability: 73%
Goal Target: 77%
Achievement: 74%
| Students | Fall 2019 Cohort | Fall 2020 Cohort | Fall 2021 Cohort | Fall 2022 Cohort | Fall 2023 Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVCC FTIC Students | 77% | 71% | 71% | 74% | 74% |
| VCCS FTIC Students | 77% | 73% | 74% | 72% | 74% |
- More Information about Fall to Spring Retention
The line chart below compares retention rates for PVCC FTIC students and VCCS FTIC students across five cohorts:
- Fall 2019 Cohort: PVCC at 77%, VCCS at 77%.
- Fall 2020 Cohort: PVCC dropped to 71%, VCCS at 73%.
- Fall 2021 Cohort: PVCC remained at 71%, VCCS at 74%.
- Fall 2022 Cohort: PVCC increased to 74%, VCCS at 72%.
- Fall 2023 Cohort: Both PVCC and VCCS at 74%.
Overall Trend: PVCC retention rates declined after 2019 but improved in recent years, reaching parity with VCCS in 2023. VCCS rates stayed slightly higher than PVCC until the most recent cohort.
Source: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft); National Student Clearinghouse Benchmark Data
Fall to Fall Retention
Threshold of Acceptability: 53%
Goal Target: 56%
Achievement: 55%
| Students | Fall 2019 Cohort | Fall 2020 Cohort | Fall 2021 Cohort | Fall 2022 Cohort | Fall 2023 Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVCC FTIC Students | 51% | 50% | 55% | 54% | 55% |
| VCCS FTIC Students | 55% | 55% | 56% | 54% | 56% |
| National Student Clearinghouse National Benchmark | 52.93% | 53.65% | 54.18% | 55.85% | Not available yet |
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft); National Student Clearinghouse Benchmark Data
- More Information about Fall to Fall Retention
The line chart below compares retention rates for PVCC FTIC students, VCCS FTIC students, and the National Student Clearinghouse benchmark across five cohorts (Fall 2019–Fall 2023):
- PVCC FTIC Students: Rates started at 51% in Fall 2019, dipped to 50% in Fall 2020, then rose to 55% by Fall 2023. The largest increase occurred between Fall 2020 and Fall 2021.
- VCCS FTIC Students: Remained steady at 55% for most cohorts, with a slight peak at 56% in Fall 2021 and Fall 2023.
- National Benchmark: Increased gradually from 52.93% in Fall 2019 to 55.85% in Fall 2022, then held at 56% in Fall 2023.
Key Insight: PVCC retention improved significantly after Fall 2020, narrowing the gap with state and national benchmarks.
Source: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft); National Student Clearinghouse Benchmark Data
Graduation Rates
The VCCS Strategic Plan has an overarching goal of awarding 300,000 cumulative degrees, diplomas, certificates and credentials by 2030 across the system. Each college in the system contributes to reaching this goal. To reach this goal, each college is expected to increase the number of credentials awarded annually. View the VCCS Strategic Plan.
Degrees and Certifications Awarded
Threshold of Acceptability: 1% increase annually
Goal Target: 3% increase annually
Achievement: 3.1% increase
| Credit Awards | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Credit Awards | 1,112 | 1,061 | 779 | 843 | 869 |
| Percent Change | -8.50% | -4.60% | -26.60% | 8.20% | 3.10% |
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
- More Information about degrees and certifications awarded
The chart below shows total enrollment numbers alongside percentage changes compared to the previous year:
- 2020–2021: Enrollment was 1,112 students, a decrease of 8.5% from the prior year.
- 2021–2022: Enrollment slightly declined to 1,061 students, down 4.6%.
- 2022–2023: Enrollment dropped significantly to 779 students, a 26.6% decrease.
- 2023–2024: Enrollment rebounded to 843 students, an increase of 8.2%.
- 2024–2025: Enrollment continued to rise to 869 students, up 3.1%.
Key Insight: After a sharp decline in 2022–2023, enrollment has shown steady recovery over the past two years.
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
National Student Clearinghouse Total Completion Rate
Threshold of Acceptability: 42.9%
Goal Target: 54%
Achievement: 54.36%
| Completion Rate | Fall 2015 Cohort | Fall 2016 Cohort | Fall 2017 Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVCC Total Completion Rate | 52.58% | 54.82% | 54.36% |
| NSC 2-year National Cohort | 42.17% | 43.08% | 43.45% |
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
- More Information about PVCC's completion rate
The chart below compares total completion rates for PVCC students with the national average for two-year institutions across three cohorts:
- Fall 2015 Cohort: PVCC completion rate was 52.58%, compared to 42.17% nationally.
- Fall 2016 Cohort: PVCC increased to 54.82%, while the national rate was 43.08%.
- Fall 2017 Cohort: PVCC slightly declined to 54.36%, with the national rate at 43.45%.
Key Insight: PVCC consistently outperformed the national two-year cohort by more than 10 percentage points across all three years.
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
Transfer Outcomes
PVCC measures transfer success by using student-tracker data from the National Student Clearinghouse to identify students who transfer to a four-year institution after completing a transfer associate degree.
Threshold of Acceptability: 45% of transfer program graduates transferring to a four-year institution
Goal Target: 52% of transfer program graduates transferring to a four-year institution
Achievement: 2023/24--56%
| Students | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolled at Another 2-Year Institution | 4.10% | 2.40% | 3.20% | 5.20% |
| Continued at PVCC | 34.10% | 34.20% | 17.60% | 13.20% |
| Transferred to a 4-year institution | 46.50% | 49.50% | 55.40% | 56.10% |
| Not enrolled in higher education | 15.30% | 13.90% | 23.80% | 25.50% |
| Total % continuing education | 84.70% | 86.10% | 76.20% | 74.50% |
Source: National Student Clearinghouse
- More Information about PVCC's transfer outcomes
The chart below shows what students did after their first year, including continuing education or leaving higher education:
- Total Continuing Education: Declined from 84.7% in 2020–2021 to 74.5% in 2023–2024.
- Transferred to a 4-Year Institution: Increased steadily from 46.5% to 56.1%.
- Continued at PVCC: Dropped from 34.1% to 13.2% over the same period.
- Enrolled at Another 2-Year Institution: Remained low, ranging from 4.1% to 5.2%.
- Not Enrolled in Higher Education: Rose from 15.3% to 25.5%.
Key Insight: While overall continuation in education decreased, transfers to four-year institutions grew significantly, and fewer students stayed at PVCC.
Employment Outcomes
PVCC measures employment outcomes by tracking Career and Technical (CTE) graduates who secure employment after graduation, using data from the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). The table below shows the count and percentage of CTE students employed or continuing education within 6, 12, and 18 months of their graduation. CTE programs include Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees, Career Studies Certificates (CSC), and Certificates (C). It does not include the Universal Certificate of General Studies or Health Science Prep credentials.
Threshold of Acceptability: 60% of CTE graduates employed within six months of graduation
Goal Target: 75% of CTE graduates will be employed within six months of graduation
Achievement: 67.6% of CTE graduates are employed within six months of graduation
| Year | Student Count | Employed or continuing education within 6 months | % | Employed or continuing education within 12 months | % | Employed or continuing education within 18 months | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 213 | 178 | 83.57% | 181 | 84.98% | 183 | 85.92% |
| 2020-2021 | 201 | 144 | 71.64% | 147 | 73.13% | 155 | 77.11% |
| 2021-2022 | 205 | 131 | 63.90% | 141 | 68.78% | 150 | 73.17% |
| 2022-2023 | 225 | 152 | 67.56% | 161 | 71.56% | 167 | 74.22% |
Sources: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft); Virginia Employment Commission employment data; National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker data.
- More Information about employment outcomes
The chart below shows the number of students and how many completed credentials within 6, 12, and 18 months:
- Student Count: Increased from 213 in 2019–2020 to 225 in 2022–2023, with slight fluctuations in between.
- Completion within 6 months: Declined from 178 in 2019–2020 to 152 in 2022–2023.
- Completion within 12 months: Dropped from 181 in 2019–2020 to 161 in 2022–2023.
- Completion within 18 months: Fell from 183 in 2019–2020 to 167 in 2022–2023.
Key Insight: While student enrollment grew over time, the number of students completing credentials within 6, 12, and 18 months decreased.
The line chart below visualizes the percentage of CTE students who were employed or continued their education within 6, 12, or 18 months of their graduation.
Source: Virginia Community College System certified master files compiled from the Student Information System (PeopleSoft); Virginia Employment Commission employment data; National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker data.