Do Students Succeed at Mountain Empire Community College?
Success rates, completion statistics, and student outcome metrics for Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, VA.
Student Success at Mountain Empire Community College at a Glance
Mountain Empire Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Big Stone Gap, VA. Current enrollment is 2,116 students.
- 48% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 36.9% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 64% of exiters from its largest program (Power Lineman Program) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $12,339 per quarter after exiting Power Lineman Program
- 900 graduates across 65 programs in 2025
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 60 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 Mountain Empire 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Lineman Program | 95% | 64% | 79% | $12,339 |
| Registered Nursing | 100% | 50% | 91% | $15,092 |
| Practical Nursing | 100% | 20% | 60% | $8,358 |
| EMT and Paramedic | 94% | 50% | — | $18,371 |
| Phlebotomy | 100% | 24% | 56% | $5,155 |
| Energy Technology Associate of Applied Science | 100% | — | — | — |
| Health Information Management AAS | 100% | — | — | — |
| Medical Office Coding & Procedures Certificate | 100% | — | — | — |
| Respiratory Therapy | 100% | — | — | — |
| Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Certificate | 100% | — | — | — |
| Dental Assisting | 100% | 71% | — | $7,301 |
| Environmental Science Associate of Applied Science | 100% | — | — | — |
| Welding Operator Career Studies Certificate | — | — | 100% | — |
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 Mountain Empire Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Mountain Empire Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
36.9%
Working Student Success
45%
Transfer Out Rate
8%
Still Enrolled Rate
0.9%
How Mountain Empire Community College Compares
Mountain Empire Community College completes 37% of its students, in line with what most trade and vocational schools achieve. 8% transfer out and 1% are still progressing. Use this as a baseline rather than a differentiator when comparing peer schools.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Mountain Empire Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Mountain Empire 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 45.7% 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 Mountain Empire 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 7.0 percentage points over transfer students, which may reflect the benefits of starting fresh at the institution.
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 Mountain Empire 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 (45% vs 30.8% 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 Mountain Empire Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 593 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Students
All Part-time Students
Full-time First-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All Full-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.