2024 North Carolina Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2022-2023, the average graduation rate at North Carolina colleges is 48.7%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 19.8% and the average retention rate is 66.6% (full-time students).
North Carolina College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- Duke University has the highest graduation rate of 96% and Strayer University-North Carolina has the lowest graduation rate of 17% and .
- Methodist University has the highest transfer-out rate of 42% and Duke University has the lowest transfer-out rate of 1% and .
- Duke University has the highest retention rate of 97% and Carolina University has the lowest retention rate of 49% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between North Carolina Colleges
The following table lists North Carolina colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Albemarle Elizabeth City, NC Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 41% | 54% | 56 |
| South Piedmont Community College Polkton, NC Public, 2-4 years | 35% | 21% | 67% | 45 |
| Appalachian State University Boone, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 73% | 18% | 83% | 60 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 32% | 9% | 58% | 45 |
| Barton College Wilson, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | - | 74% | - |
| Beaufort County Community College Washington, NC Public, 2-4 years | 36% | - | 67% | 41 |
| Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 46% | - | 66% | - |
| Bennett College Greensboro, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 21% | 58% | 92% | 100 |
| Bladen Community College Dublin, NC Public, 2-4 years | 31% | 19% | 57% | 36 |
| Blue Ridge Community College Flat Rock, NC Public, 2-4 years | 38% | 17% | 69% | 47 |
| Brevard College Brevard, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 39% | 37% | 69% | 33 |
| Brunswick Community College Bolivia, NC Public, 2-4 years | 46% | 18% | 67% | 46 |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 45% | - | - | - |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute Hudson, NC Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 23% | 71% | 50 |
| Campbell University Buies Creek, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | - | 75% | 19 |
| Cape Fear Community College Wilmington, NC Public, 2-4 years | 34% | - | 10% | 2 |
| Carteret Community College Morehead City, NC Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 12% | 71% | 50 |
| Catawba College Salisbury, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | - | 65% | - |
| Catawba Valley Community College Hickory, NC Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 36% | 63% | 49 |
| Central Carolina Community College Sanford, NC Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 15% | 70% | 53 |
| Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC Public, 2-4 years | 26% | 28% | 61% | 48 |
| Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 29% | 37% | 63% | - |
| Cleveland Community College Shelby, NC Public, 2-4 years | 11% | - | 22% | 50 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College Jacksonville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 21% | 70% | 38 |
| Craven Community College New Bern, NC Public, 2-4 years | 46% | 23% | 62% | 55 |
| Davidson-Davie Community College Thomasville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 18% | 66% | 50 |
| Davidson College Davidson, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 92% | - | 94% | - |
| Duke University Durham, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 96% | 1% | 97% | - |
| Durham Technical Community College Durham, NC Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 3% | 66% | 46 |
| East Carolina University Greenville, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 62% | 28% | 80% | 65 |
| Edgecombe Community College Tarboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 58% | - | 74% | 86 |
| Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 48% | 26% | 76% | - |
| Elon University Elon, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 83% | - | 90% | 100 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 21% | 22% | 59% | 40 |
| Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 35% | 32% | 70% | 20 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 14% | 63% | 55 |
| Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | 29% | 66% | - |
| Gaston College Dallas, NC Public, 2-4 years | 51% | 12% | 75% | 54 |
| Greensboro College Greensboro, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 41% | - | 59% | - |
| Guilford College Greensboro, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 48% | - | 66% | - |
| Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown, NC Public, 2-4 years | 31% | 18% | 54% | 43 |
| Halifax Community College Weldon, NC Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 10% | 54% | 54 |
| Haywood Community College Clyde, NC Public, 2-4 years | 44% | 13% | 52% | 48 |
| Heritage Bible College Dunn, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | - | 33% | 100 |
| High Point University High Point, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 70% | - | 83% | - |
| Isothermal Community College Spindale, NC Public, 2-4 years | 49% | 12% | 69% | 51 |
| James Sprunt Community College Kenansville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 39% | - | 75% | 51 |
| Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 34% | - | 57% | 75 |
| Johnston Community College Smithfield, NC Public, 2-4 years | 29% | 11% | 50% | 45 |
| Lees-McRae College Banner Elk, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 44% | 40% | 77% | - |
| Lenoir Community College Kinston, NC Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 7% | 61% | 41 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 51% | - | 71% | 35 |
| Leons Beauty School Inc Greensboro, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 56% | - | 87% | - |
| Livingstone College Salisbury, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 27% | - | 70% | - |
| Louisburg College Louisburg, NC Private, 2-4 years | 39% | 22% | 42% | 11 |
| Mars Hill University Mars Hill, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | 8% | 62% | 50 |
| Martin Community College Williamston, NC Public, 2-4 years | 38% | 3% | 65% | 30 |
| Mayland Community College Spruce Pine, NC Public, 2-4 years | 49% | 7% | 67% | 32 |
| McDowell Technical Community College Marion, NC Public, 2-4 years | 57% | 11% | 59% | 37 |
| Meredith College Raleigh, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 65% | 26% | 77% | 100 |
| Methodist University Fayetteville, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | 42% | 62% | - |
| Miller-Motte College-Wilmington Wilmington, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 19% | - | - | - |
| Mitchell Community College Statesville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 16% | 33% | 56% | 31 |
| Mitchells Academy Raleigh, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 87% | - | 85% | - |
| Montgomery Community College Troy, NC Public, 2-4 years | 54% | - | 63% | 43 |
| Montreat College Montreat, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 41% | - | 62% | - |
| University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | - | 63% | 63 |
| College of Wilmington Wilmington, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 33% | - | 80% | - |
| Nash Community College Rocky Mount, NC Public, 2-4 years | 52% | - | 68% | 82 |
| North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 55% | 22% | 74% | 43 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 55% | 32% | 69% | 33 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 92% | 5% | 96% | 92 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 68% | 22% | 84% | 68 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 58% | 27% | 73% | 43 |
| North Carolina Central University Durham, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 46% | 27% | 76% | 47 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 79% | 1% | 93% | - |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 85% | - | 94% | 78 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | 32% | 66% | 67 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 71% | 23% | 83% | 78 |
| Pamlico Community College Grantsboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 47% | - | 63% | 47 |
| William Peace University Raleigh, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 44% | 37% | 60% | - |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 45% | 30% | 72% | 17 |
| Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | 27% | 61% | - |
| Piedmont Community College Roxboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 18% | 33% | 40 |
| Pitt Community College Winterville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 20% | 68% | 40 |
| Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 72% | 50 |
| Randolph Community College Asheboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 54% | 17% | 76% | 51 |
| Richmond Community College Hamlet, NC Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 13% | 67% | 56 |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian University Elizabeth City, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | 15% | 53% | - |
| Roanoke-Chowan Community College Ahoskie, NC Public, 2-4 years | 21% | 29% | 73% | 36 |
| Robeson Community College Lumberton, NC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 18% | 53% | 52 |
| Rockingham Community College Wentworth, NC Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 22% | 49% | 34 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury, NC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 14% | 56% | 39 |
| Saint Augustine's University Raleigh, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 33% | - | 64% | 50 |
| Salem College Winston-Salem, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | - | 73% | - |
| Sampson Community College Clinton, NC Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 13% | 59% | 44 |
| Sandhills Community College Pinehurst, NC Public, 2-4 years | 48% | 20% | 74% | 40 |
| Shaw University Raleigh, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 20% | - | 57% | 100 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville Fayetteville, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 64% | - | 57% | - |
| St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 27% | - | 59% | - |
| Southeastern Community College Whiteville, NC Public, 2-4 years | 51% | 24% | 67% | 43 |
| Southwestern Community College Sylva, NC Public, 2-4 years | 54% | 10% | 58% | 37 |
| Stanly Community College Albemarle, NC Public, 2-4 years | 72% | - | 66% | 42 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 46% | - | 81% | 46 |
| Surry Community College Dobson, NC Public, 2-4 years | 8% | 38% | 65% | 63 |
| Alamance Community College Graham, NC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | - | 65% | 46 |
| Tri-County Community College Murphy, NC Public, 2-4 years | 54% | 6% | 63% | 51 |
| Vance-Granville Community College Henderson, NC Public, 2-4 years | 47% | 17% | 72% | 42 |
| Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 91% | - | 94% | - |
| Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public, 2-4 years | 31% | 19% | 68% | 50 |
| Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | - | 69% | - |
| Wayne Community College Goldsboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 57% | 10% | 80% | 68 |
| Western Piedmont Community College Morganton, NC Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 13% | 67% | 50 |
| Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro, NC Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 3% | 66% | 60 |
| Wilson Community College Wilson, NC Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 41% | 62% | 41 |
| Wingate University Wingate, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | 40% | 69% | 40 |
| Winston Salem Barber School Winston-Salem, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 68% | - | 40% | - |
| Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 49% | 31% | 77% | - |
| Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 59% | 28% | 71% | 68 |
| Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology Mooresville, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 40% | - | 56% | - |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte, NC Public, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | - | - |
| Gwinnett College Raleigh, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 63% | - | 76% | 73 |
| NASCAR Technical Institute Mooresville, NC Private, 2-4 years | 56% | 1% | 57% | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia Gastonia, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 50% | - | 75% | 80 |
| Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary Charlotte, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 25% | - | 50% | - |
| Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | 3% | 64% | - |
| Empire Beauty School-Concord Concord, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 44% | - | 73% | 29 |
| Southeastern College-Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private, 2-4 years | 60% | 1% | 85% | 60 |
| Strayer University-North Carolina Greensboro, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 17% | - | 50% | 32 |
| Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 77% | - | 91% | - |
| Center for Massage Asheville, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 91% | - | - | - |
| Miller-Motte College-Raleigh Raleigh, NC Private, 2-4 years | 59% | - | 68% | - |
| Health And Style Institute Greensboro, NC Private, 2-4 years | 29% | 1% | 61% | 50 |
| Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville Fayetteville, NC Private, 2-4 years | 62% | - | 76% | - |
| Empire Beauty School-Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 50% | - | 56% | 50 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem Winston-Salem, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 27% | - | 14% | 43 |
| Empire Beauty School-Pineville Charlotte, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 53% | - | 53% | 67 |
| Carolina College of Hair Design Inc Asheville, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 77% | 3% | 78% | - |
| Miller-Motte College-Jacksonville Jacksonville, NC Private, 2-4 years | 59% | - | 80% | - |
| Carolina College of Biblical Studies Fayetteville, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 22% | - | - | - |
| Manna University Fayetteville, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 69% | 8% | 100% | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Raleigh Raleigh, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 70% | - | 60% | 57 |
| Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro Greensboro, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 53% | - | 64% | 55 |
| MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Private, 2-4 years | 70% | - | 76% | - |
| South University-High Point High Point, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 12% | 25% | - | - |
| Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design Greenville, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 67% | - | 100% | - |
| Beyond Measure Barbering Institute Mebane, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 76% | - | 55% | 79 |
| Chamberlain University-North Carolina Charlotte, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | 100% | - |
| Carolina University Winston-Salem, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 29% | - | 49% | - |
| Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College Durham, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 67% | - | 75% | - |
| No Grease Barber School Charlotte, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 80% | - | 80% | - |
| Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College Wendell, NC Private, 4 years four-years | 55% | 23% | 75% | - |
| Elevate Salon Institute Durham, NC Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | 75% | 92 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private, 2-4 years | 50% | - | 76% | - |
| Average | 49% | 20% | 67% | 52 |
Most Compared North Carolina Colleges
The following North Carolina college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.