Do Students Succeed at Northampton County Area Community College?
A data-driven look at student outcomes at Northampton County Area Community College — completion rates, transfers, and enrollment status.
Student Success at Northampton County Area Community College at a Glance
Northampton County Area Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Bethlehem, PA. Current enrollment is 8,810 students.
- 23.6% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 31.1% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 9% of exiters from its largest program (Business Management A.A.S.) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $6,288 per quarter after exiting Business Management A.A.S.
- 1,330 graduates across 114 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 222 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 Northampton County Area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Management A.A.S. | 29% | 9% | 5% | $6,288 |
| Criminal Justice Associate in Applied Science | 55% | 15% | — | $5,000 |
| Business Management Associate in Applied Science | 31% | 4% | — | $4,123 |
| Nursing: Registered Nurse AAS | 91% | 5% | — | $24,851 |
| Accounting Associate in Applied Science | 49% | 12% | 5% | $9,878 |
| Health Care Office Coordinator Associate in Applied Science | 56% | 5% | — | $4,977 |
| Information Security (InfoSec) Associate in Applied Science | 59% | 11% | — | $9,028 |
| Nursing: RN Associate in Applied Science | 86% | 6% | — | — |
| Health Care Billing and Coding Specialized Diploma | 80% | — | — | — |
| Applied Psychology Associate in Applied Science | 32% | — | — | — |
| Electrical Technology Associate in Applied Science | 56% | 16% | — | $12,381 |
| Paralegal Associate in Applied Science | 58% | 8% | — | $10,304 |
| Dental Hygiene Associate in Applied Science | 72% | 14% | 9% | $13,356 |
| Networking Systems Technology Associate in Applied Science | 67% | 9% | — | $6,623 |
| Automotive Technology Associate in Applied Science | 68% | — | — | — |
| Lineworker Certificate Program | 89% | 30% | 20% | $13,588 |
| Nursing: LPN Certificate | 83% | 10% | — | $6,406 |
| Automotive Technology Specialized Diploma | 71% | 13% | — | $10,939 |
| Nurse Aide Certification | 92% | 8% | 7% | $5,707 |
| Construction Management Associate in Applied Science | 60% | — | — | — |
| Medical Assistant Specialized Diploma | 93% | — | — | — |
| HVAC/R Technology Associate in Applied Science | 78% | — | — | — |
| Welding Technology Associate in Applied Science | 54% | — | — | — |
| Application Development Associate in Applied Science | 52% | 14% | — | $7,602 |
| Electromechanical Technology Automated Systems AAS | 47% | 27% | — | $14,765 |
| Computer Aided Design Associate in Applied Science | 68% | 16% | — | $9,366 |
| HVAC/R Technology Certificate | 45% | — | — | — |
| System Administration Associate in Applied Science | 75% | 25% | — | $2,734 |
| Phlebotomy | 79% | 15% | 14% | $8,394 |
| Electrical Technology Specialized Diploma | 63% | — | — | — |
| HVAC Technology Specialized Diploma | 86% | — | — | — |
| Reactivation Program for Registered Nurses | 89% | — | — | — |
| Dental Assisting w/Externship | 92% | — | — | — |
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 Northampton County Area Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Northampton County Area Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
31.1%
Working Student Success
31%
Transfer Out Rate
41.6%
Still Enrolled Rate
2.1%
How Northampton County Area Community College Compares
A 31% completion rate at Northampton County Area Community College is consistent with how most trade colleges perform. With 2% still enrolled, the picture is one of steady but incomplete progression — common in programs that mix full-time students with part-time learners working alongside their studies.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Northampton County Area Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Northampton County Area 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 41.9% 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 Northampton County Area 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 14.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 48.5% 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 Northampton County Area 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 (31.6%) compared to part-time students (31%). 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 Northampton County Area Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 3,405 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
Full-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
All Part-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.