Do Students Succeed at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Student success metrics for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, NC: graduation, transfer, and retention data.
Student Success at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College at a Glance
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Asheville, NC. Current enrollment is 6,510 students.
- 39.8% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 33.5% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 30% of exiters from its largest program (Information Systems Pathway AA) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $7,949 per quarter after exiting Information Systems Pathway AA
- 1,620 graduates across 112 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 190 students used them here (Yellow Ribbon participant)
Program-Level Results · Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
Verified Program Outcomes
Completion and employment results reported to the U.S. Department of Labor for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College programs on the state Eligible Training Provider List. Missing values ("—") mean the state suppressed or did not report that metric — they never mean zero.
| Program | Completion rate | Employed 6 mo after exit | Employed 1 yr after exit | Median quarterly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Systems Pathway AA | 9% | 30% | 35% | $7,949 |
| General Education Diploma | 100% | 31% | 31% | $7,532 |
| Associate Nursing AAS Degree | 40% | 84% | 89% | $14,742 |
| Retail Marketing Certificate | 20% | 72% | 72% | $11,493 |
| Information Technology: Software and Web Development AAS Degree | 19% | 71% | 64% | $10,784 |
| Human Services Technology AAS Degree | 21% | 67% | 67% | $9,346 |
| Culinary Arts AAS Degree | 38% | 79% | 75% | $9,313 |
| Information Technology: Software Programming Fundamentals Certificate | 17% | 58% | 60% | $11,326 |
| Early Childhood Associate AAS Degree | 16% | 77% | 75% | $9,343 |
| Early Childhood Development (EDU119) Certificate | 21% | 72% | 65% | $7,319 |
| Veterinary Medical Technology AAS Degree | 46% | 80% | 82% | $9,010 |
| Community Health Worker Certificate | 80% | 45% | 45% | $10,035 |
| Criminal Justice Technology AAS Degree | 24% | 68% | 76% | $10,893 |
| Information Technology: Cyber Forensic Analyst Certificate | 11% | 54% | 64% | $11,281 |
| Automotive Systems Technology AAS Degree | 55% | 71% | 64% | $9,600 |
| Dental Assisting Diploma | 90% | 92% | 84% | $8,516 |
| Emergency Medical Science AAS Degree | 52% | 86% | 80% | $7,850 |
| Radiography AAS Degree | 41% | 82% | 77% | $10,013 |
| Early Childhood Certificate | 10% | 69% | 63% | $8,253 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology - Automation & Robotics Certificate | 17% | 71% | 69% | $15,183 |
| Basic Law Enforcement Training Certificate | 27% | 90% | 93% | $12,102 |
| Construction Management Technology AAS Degree | 38% | 58% | 61% | $10,786 |
| Electronics Engineering Technology AAS Degree | 21% | 78% | 77% | $20,691 |
| Dental Hygiene AAS Degree | 62% | 83% | 100% | $15,090 |
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS Degree | 30% | 73% | 66% | $7,827 |
| Welding Technology AAS Degree | 58% | 69% | 67% | $8,141 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS Degree | 59% | 82% | 88% | $7,441 |
| Health and Fitness Science AAS Degree | 14% | 68% | 61% | $9,922 |
| Medical Laboratory Technology AAS Degree | 39% | 71% | 68% | $11,707 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology AAS | 14% | 72% | 92% | $15,590 |
| Phlebotomy Certificate | 59% | 78% | 83% | $6,635 |
| Basic Construction and Millwork Certificate | 25% | 67% | 58% | $8,541 |
| Brewing, Distillation, & Fermentation AAS Degree | 44% | 71% | 76% | $12,113 |
| Computer Engineering Technology AAS Degree | 11% | 69% | 78% | $10,336 |
| Office Administration: General Office AAS Degree | 38% | 66% | 61% | $7,868 |
| Medical Sonography AAS Degree | 50% | 80% | 94% | $12,660 |
| Sustainability Technology AAS Degree | 29% | 78% | 81% | $10,264 |
| Hospitality Management AAS Degree | 36% | 82% | 80% | $14,278 |
| CNC Machining 101 (Computer Numerical Control) Certificate | 76% | 44% | 36% | $12,861 |
| Construction Management Technology Certificate | 15% | 67% | 36% | $10,438 |
| Computer Science - Computer Systems AS | 14% | 74% | 100% | $9,491 |
| Medical Office Administration and Coding AAS Degree | 47% | 78% | 79% | $6,878 |
| Medical Office Administration Diploma | 39% | 81% | 100% | $8,925 |
| Nursing Aide Certificate | 20% | 79% | 80% | $4,527 |
| Computer Aided Drafting Certificate | 29% | 55% | 56% | $9,370 |
| Computer Aided Drafting Technology AAS Degree | 30% | 52% | 45% | $9,370 |
| Medical Assisting AAS Degree | 42% | 86% | 82% | $7,594 |
| Welding Technology Diploma | 44% | 78% | 62% | $7,269 |
| Computer Integrated Machining AAS Degree | 48% | 75% | 82% | $9,923 |
| Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Technology Certificate | 50% | 67% | 53% | $9,507 |
| Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology Diploma | 56% | 67% | — | $4,078 |
| Office Management Certificate | — | 60% | 57% | $23,103 |
| Commercial Driver's License (CDL) | 85% | 89% | 67% | $12,445 |
| Basic Emergency Medical Technician Certificate | — | 75% | 60% | $9,401 |
| Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Certificate | — | 100% | — | $11,127 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA participant outcomes (trainingproviderresults.gov), PY 2023.
College-Wide Statistics · IPEDS Federal Survey
What Are the Student Outcomes at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
33.5%
Working Student Success
38.8%
Transfer Out Rate
24.1%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.5%
How Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Compares
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's 34% completion rate is right in the typical band for trade and vocational schools — most peer institutions land somewhere in the 30–50% range. Another 24% transfer out and 2% remain enrolled; these together usually account for the bulk of the cohort, with only a smaller share leaving without a clear next step.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.
Understanding These Outcomes
Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.
Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.
Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.
No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.
Combined completion and transfer rate of 42.5% indicates strong student success pathways.
These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.
What Are the Transfer and Continuation Patterns at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway
Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.
Key Insights
Transfer students outperform first-time students by 10.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 22.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.
Cohort Composition
Understanding Student Pathways
First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.
Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.
Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.
Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.
Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.
What Are the Completion Rates by Student Type at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Notably, part-time students have a higher success rate here (38.8% vs 28.6% for full-time), which is great news if you plan to work while studying. This pattern is common at trade colleges where programs are designed to accommodate working adults. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,983 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
All Non-first-time Transfer Students
All First-time Students
Time to Completion
About This Data
Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.