Do Students Succeed at McLennan Community College?
Discover how students at McLennan Community College progress — from enrollment through completion, transfer, and beyond.
Student Success at McLennan Community College at a Glance
McLennan Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Waco, TX. Current enrollment is 7,850 students.
- 38.9% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 27% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 77% of exiters from its largest program (Medical Assistant) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $4,972 per quarter after exiting Medical Assistant
- 2,042 graduates across 113 programs in 2025
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 407 students used them here
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 McLennan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant | 10% | 77% | 77% | $4,972 |
| Teacher Certification | 42% | 78% | 82% | $5,106 |
| Certified Nurses Aid | 86% | 67% | 71% | $4,439 |
| Management/Business Certificate | 24% | 70% | 72% | $6,738 |
| Associate Degree Nursing | 81% | 90% | 91% | $16,613 |
| General Business | 16% | 64% | 69% | $4,917 |
| Certificate in Accounting | 34% | 79% | 85% | $7,275 |
| Criminal Justice Law Enforcement AAS | 9% | 77% | 79% | $5,220 |
| Health Information Technology Coding Specialist | 27% | 69% | 75% | $8,878 |
| Fire Protection Technology | 88% | 78% | 81% | $6,287 |
| Vocational Nursing | 77% | 67% | 80% | $8,014 |
| Health Information Technology AAS | 13% | 63% | 65% | $7,412 |
| Criminal Justice Corrections AAS | 6% | 82% | 81% | $5,816 |
| Radiologic Technology | 81% | 100% | 94% | $14,955 |
| Management/Marketing Certificate | 8% | 67% | 55% | $4,553 |
| Respiratory Care Technology | 54% | 89% | 85% | $17,873 |
| Agriculture | — | 57% | 60% | $5,323 |
| Certified Medication Aide | 97% | 81% | 79% | $7,023 |
| Medical and Clinical Lab Technician | 41% | 87% | 79% | $10,827 |
| Criminal Justice Corrections Level I Certificate | 31% | 71% | 77% | $8,619 |
| Certified Patient Care Technician | 90% | 75% | — | $7,364 |
| Medical Office Assistant | — | 69% | 77% | $7,950 |
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 McLennan Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at McLennan Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
27%
Working Student Success
25.6%
Transfer Out Rate
41.5%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.9%
How McLennan Community College Compares
27% of students at McLennan Community College complete their programs — a number that's neither standout nor concerning by trade-college standards. 41% transfer and 2% are continuing. The full success picture combines all three; raw completion alone undersells trade-school outcomes.
What Happens After Students Enroll at McLennan Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered McLennan 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 44.3% 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 McLennan 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
First-time students have an advantage of 8.0 percentage points over transfer students, which may reflect the benefits of starting fresh at the institution.
Combined 35.0% 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 McLennan Community College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Full-time students have a higher completion rate (29.6%) compared to part-time students (25.6%). Consider your work and life commitments when deciding on your enrollment status. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at McLennan Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 3,264 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Students
All First-time Students
Full-time First-time Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
All Full-time Students
Full-time Non-first-time Transfer 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.