Student Outcomes

Discover how students at Mountain Empire Community College progress — from enrollment through completion, transfer, and beyond.

Big Stone Gap, VA

What Are the Student Outcomes at Mountain Empire Community College?

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's 37% completion rate is right in the typical band for trade and vocational schools — most peer institutions land somewhere in the 30–50% range. Another 8% transfer out and 1% 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 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.

39.5%
53.0%
Completed
39.5%
253 students
Still Enrolled
1.2%
8 students
Transferred Out
6.2%
40 students
No Award
53.0%
340 students

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.

First-Time Students(431 cohort size)
49.0%
49.0% completed
8.0% transferred to other institutions
Transfer-In Students(52 cohort size)
42.0%
42.0% completed
8.0% transferred again to other institutions
Continuing Students(98 cohort size)
22.0%
22.0% completed

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

431
First-Time
52
Transfer-In
98
Continuing

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?

Full-time Students
30.8%
Part-time Students
45%
First-time Students
52%
Transfer Students
32.8%

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

126
Certificates
95
Associate Degrees
221
Total Awards
37%
Completion Rate

After 6 Years

139
Certificates
104
Associate Degrees
243
Total Awards
41%
Completion Rate

After 8 Years (Final)

145
Certificates
108
Associate Degrees
253
Total Awards
0%
Completion Rate

Final Student Status

0%
Graduated
0%
Still Enrolled Here
0%
Enrolled Elsewhere
0%
Status Unknown

Completion Breakdown by Cohort

Part-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 114
8-Year Rate: 64%

Part-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 11
8-Year Rate: 55%

All First-time Students

Cohort Size: 431
8-Year Rate: 49%

All Part-time Students

Cohort Size: 205
8-Year Rate: 49%

Full-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 317
8-Year Rate: 43%

All First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 52
8-Year Rate: 42%

Full-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 41
8-Year Rate: 39%

All Full-time Students

Cohort Size: 439
8-Year Rate: 38%

Time to Completion

Average time: 5 years
Median time: 5 years
Complete on time: 33.7%

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.

0 of 3
+ Add school+ Add school+ Add school
Compare Now