Education

College Graduation

College Graduation

College graduation is an indicator of the quality of the state's K-12 and higher education resources. High college enrollment and degree numbers also benefit Virginia by contributing to the quality of the workforce. The percent of high school seniors planning to attend a two- or four-year college is an indicator of K-12 student preparation, family influence, academic counseling and the availability and affordability of post-secondary education in the state.

Why is This Important?

College graduation is one measure of the success of our post-secondary education system. Degree numbers in turn depend on Virginia's success in enrolling students and ensuring that they graduate. The post-graduation plans of high school seniors provide an indication of the perceived opportunities available in higher education and their preparation to take advantage of those opportunities.

How is Virginia doing?

Degrees awarded

College degree rates are measured as the number of degrees awarded by degree level per 100,000 residents. Since 2000, Virginia's degree rate has risen for associate's, bachelor’s and graduate / professional degrees. In 2000, the degree rate was 162 per 100,000 residents for associate's, 475 for bachelor's and 204 for graduate/professional degrees. In 2007, the rates stood at 220, 515, and 235 respectively.

Graduates per 100,000 residents: By degree and state, 2007

State	Associate's	Bachelor's	Grad/Prof
United States (average)	241.40	505.30	250.41
Virginia	219.72	515.35	234.72
North Carolina	217.30	455.40	182.05
Tennessee	172.04	442.96	187.13
Maryland	185.48	457.32	296.87
Wyoming--leading associate's	536.50	323.43	115.14
Rhode Island--leading bachelor's	361.31	943.63	270.55
Massachusetts--leading Grad/Prof	165.76	742.43	552.42

In 2007, Virginia’s associate degree rate ranked 25th among U.S. states and below the national average of 241 per 100,000; the rate for bachelor's degrees was above the national average of 505 and ranked Virginia 28th. Graduate/professional degree production was also below the national average of 250 and ranked 22nd.

The national leaders were Wyoming for associate's degrees (537), Rhode Island for bachelor's degrees (944), and Massachusetts for graduate/professional degrees (552). Among Virginia’s neighbors, Maryland produced more graduate/professional degrees (297). However, Virginia did lead the region in bachelor’s and associate’s degrees.

Graduation rates

Since 1998, Virginia's graduation rate for students seeking an associate's degree has generally been rising. In 1998, the graduation rate was 20.2 percent. In 2007, the rate stood at 27.2 percent, ranking Virginia 27th nationally -- and below the national average of 27.8 percent. However, it is above North Carolina (21.5%) and Maryland (20.3%), but still below Tennessee's 29.4 percent. South Dakota had the highest associate degree graduation rate in the nation in 2007 at 70.6 percent.

In contrast, Virginia's rate of graduation for bachelor's degrees within six years is 9th in the nation. The Baccalaureate graduation rate in Virginia has generally been increasing, at least since 1998. Virginia's rate in 2007 was 64 percent. The highest ranking state, Massachusetts, had a rate of 68 percent. North Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland had rates of 58 percent, 50 percent and 65 percent, respectively.

Enrollment rates

Virginia's enrollment rates are measured as the number of native students per 100,000 residents enrolled as new students; these rates have also increased. Enrollment at public community colleges went up from 179 new students per 100,000 residents in 2000 to 335 per 100,000 in 2007. At public and private, non-profit four-year schools, the rate increased from 317 to 359.

Among Virginia's regions, the Southwest sent the most new students to public community colleges (471) and Central Virginia the fewest (259). The Northern region sent the most new students to four-year public and private non-profit colleges (405); Hampton Roads (251) sent the fewest.

 

Attendance plans

Forty-seven percent of Virginia's graduating seniors surveyed in 2008 planned to attend a four-year college. In the Northern region, more than half (57 percent) planned to attend four-year colleges. The Southwest and Southside regions had the largest percentages, 42 and 39 percent respectively, of students planning to attend a two-year college program after graduation.

What Influences College Graduation Rates?

College graduation rates are primarily influenced by three factors: level of student preparation for college; affordability and access to financial aid; and institutional efforts at retention.

College enrollment and high school seniors' plans to attend college are also influenced by a variety of factors, including:

• the availability of opportunities in the region and in the state
• preparation in high school
• family educational background
• guidance & career counseling and
• the financial cost of higher education

What is the State's Role?

The state education system works to graduate students who have the knowledge, skills and resources they need to successfully complete post-secondary education. This includes ensuring that:

• high school standards are rigorous and aligned with college expectations.
• low-income students have access to financial aid.
• a coordinated system of higher education, with adequate resources and infrastructure to meet demands, is robust and varied enough to create a broad range of options for Virginia students.