Do Students Succeed at Northcentral Technical College?
A data-driven look at student outcomes at Northcentral Technical College — completion rates, transfers, and enrollment status.
Student Success at Northcentral Technical College at a Glance
Northcentral Technical College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Wausau, WI. Current enrollment is 6,746 students.
- 45.4% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 44.3% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 78% of exiters from its largest program (Nursing Assistant (CNA)) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $4,566 per quarter after exiting Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- 2,071 graduates across 199 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 141 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 Northcentral Technical 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | 85% | 78% | 65% | $4,566 |
| Nursing | 49% | 88% | 74% | $12,198 |
| Human Services Assistant | 45% | 74% | 54% | $6,897 |
| Business Management | 35% | 79% | 61% | $9,037 |
| Dental Hygienist | 47% | 72% | 57% | $8,894 |
| Human Services | 50% | 78% | 63% | $7,164 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | 76% | 86% | 67% | $8,228 |
| Medical Coding Specialist | 42% | 77% | 58% | $8,058 |
| Accounting | 41% | 78% | 67% | $8,431 |
| Business Operations | 67% | 77% | 44% | $10,371 |
| Small Business Entrepreneurship | 31% | 73% | 48% | $6,932 |
| IT - Junior Developer | 27% | 69% | 50% | $7,023 |
| Radiography | 28% | 83% | 68% | $8,762 |
| Truck Driving | 91% | 85% | 57% | $12,265 |
| IT - Software Developer | 35% | 71% | 64% | $9,434 |
| Early Childhood Education | 34% | 70% | 51% | $6,410 |
| IT - Cybersecurity Specialist | 28% | 73% | 41% | $9,852 |
| IT - Computer Support Specialist | 38% | 79% | 61% | $10,048 |
| Criminal Justice Studies | 43% | 82% | 67% | $7,166 |
| Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) | 92% | 76% | 61% | $8,665 |
| Mechanical Design Engineering Technology | 47% | 78% | 67% | $11,962 |
| Welding | 57% | 85% | 66% | $8,503 |
| Substance Use Disorder Counseling | 44% | 69% | 60% | $9,018 |
| Human Resources | 31% | 79% | 47% | $10,232 |
| Electromechanical Technology | 73% | 85% | 77% | $11,975 |
| Accounting Assistant | 77% | 84% | 68% | $9,143 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor Education | 63% | 72% | 62% | $8,872 |
| Digital Marketing | 42% | 51% | 41% | $9,237 |
| Veterinary Technician | 44% | 89% | 31% | $6,246 |
| Video Production | 59% | 48% | 36% | $7,213 |
| Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 720 Academy | 91% | 87% | 72% | $14,801 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology | 33% | 48% | 45% | $13,782 |
| Millwright/Maintenance Mechanic | 90% | 91% | 79% | $20,344 |
| Paralegal | 17% | 75% | 30% | $9,399 |
| Medical Assistant | 62% | 84% | 70% | $8,304 |
| Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) | 89% | 87% | 66% | $9,517 |
| Surgical Technologist | 31% | 88% | 70% | $8,880 |
| Architectural Design & Technology | 66% | 80% | 72% | $9,886 |
| Electrical and Instrumentation | 91% | 96% | 77% | $20,805 |
| Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW) | 96% | 87% | 69% | $9,864 |
| Phlebotomy Technician | 62% | 82% | 76% | $7,162 |
| Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) | 91% | 88% | 69% | $10,446 |
| Foundations of Teacher Education | 33% | 81% | 58% | $5,099 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | 67% | 88% | 69% | $10,468 |
| IT - Network Specialist | 32% | 88% | 77% | $10,109 |
| Quickbooks Specialist | 100% | — | — | — |
| Automation Systems Technology | 74% | 91% | 63% | $14,422 |
| IT-Software Development Specialist | 68% | 74% | 62% | $11,131 |
| Leadership Development | 29% | 78% | 65% | $10,710 |
| Marketing | 46% | 63% | 65% | $8,822 |
| Accelerated - Leadership | 83% | 87% | 69% | $16,120 |
| Accelerated - Supervision | 81% | 81% | 57% | $12,818 |
| Medical Office Specialist | 53% | 73% | 51% | $5,958 |
| Dental Assistant | 85% | 88% | 62% | $7,200 |
| Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic | 83% | 94% | 80% | $15,710 |
| Applied Mechanical CAD Technician | 79% | 81% | 68% | $11,300 |
| Marketing - Social Media | 79% | 53% | 39% | $7,460 |
| IT - Computer Support Technician | 73% | 75% | 61% | $10,840 |
| Accelerated - Human Resource Management | 50% | 83% | 66% | $12,282 |
| Plumbing | 74% | 94% | 78% | $16,659 |
| Dairy Science | 74% | 79% | 59% | $9,188 |
| Office Assistant | 70% | 89% | 62% | $7,185 |
| Architectural Technician | 89% | 72% | 65% | $4,067 |
| Advanced EMT | 90% | 88% | 58% | $13,356 |
| Fire Medic | 29% | 88% | 71% | $9,871 |
| Healthcare Receptionist | 70% | 74% | 57% | $6,480 |
| Administrative Professional | 57% | 76% | 63% | $7,741 |
| Automotive Technician | 48% | 77% | 72% | $8,213 |
| Culinary Arts | 38% | 67% | 58% | $6,645 |
| Welding Fabrication & Robotics | 65% | 81% | 67% | $9,338 |
| Cosmetology | 77% | 79% | 46% | $5,330 |
| Diesel Technology | 55% | 89% | 80% | $12,270 |
| Graphic Communication Technologies | 68% | 85% | 73% | $6,901 |
| Industrial Electronics & Maintenance Technician | 62% | 97% | 71% | $15,756 |
| Architectural Design Software | 89% | 76% | 64% | $10,766 |
| Diesel Equipment Mechanic | 83% | 79% | 66% | $12,818 |
| Electrical Power Distribution | 96% | 93% | 71% | $12,928 |
| Paramedic Technician | 44% | 90% | 74% | $14,368 |
| Sports and Recreation Management | 18% | 72% | 64% | $8,282 |
| Supply Chain Management | 15% | 66% | 51% | $11,892 |
| Agri-Business | 76% | 78% | 66% | $8,800 |
| Industrial Automation | 92% | 89% | 64% | $14,565 |
| Automotive Technology | 46% | 80% | 57% | $9,189 |
| Data Analytics | — | 50% | 17% | $11,517 |
| IT-Network Technician | 71% | 87% | 70% | $10,700 |
| Marketing - Digital Internet Marketing | 83% | 68% | 44% | $8,209 |
| Business Analyst | 17% | 77% | 63% | $10,915 |
| Quality Manufacturing | 55% | 44% | 41% | $12,136 |
| Machinist | 28% | 60% | 55% | $5,683 |
| Sign Language Interpreting in Education | 45% | 86% | 66% | $8,489 |
| IT - Help Desk | 75% | 71% | 74% | $10,840 |
| Industrial Manufacturing Engineering Technician | 69% | 50% | 46% | $16,882 |
| Maintenance Technician | 83% | 96% | 69% | $17,368 |
| EMT - Firefighter | 78% | 91% | — | $8,277 |
| Safety Engineering Technology | 24% | 67% | 42% | $13,668 |
| Tool & Die | 88% | 95% | 68% | $18,128 |
| Fire Science | 23% | 79% | 53% | $7,561 |
| Marketing - Digital Marketing Promotions | 97% | 67% | 53% | $8,509 |
| Gas Utility Construction & Service | 87% | 92% | 72% | $12,951 |
| Accelerated - Lean Organizations | 48% | 85% | 68% | $11,035 |
| IT - Web Designer | 25% | 56% | 47% | $5,136 |
| Machine Tool Operation | 71% | 80% | 65% | $11,143 |
| Manufacturing Basics | 91% | 49% | 50% | $15,026 |
| Machine Tool Technics | 80% | 85% | 72% | $11,200 |
| Wood Science | 81% | 74% | 55% | $9,665 |
| Civil Engineering Technology | 59% | 83% | 42% | $9,762 |
| Crop Science | 84% | 86% | 46% | $10,563 |
| Culinary Assistant | 95% | 95% | 75% | $9,720 |
| Basic Machining | 94% | 78% | 59% | $4,899 |
| IT - Help Desk Support Specialist | 93% | 80% | — | $5,222 |
| Electrical Maintenance | — | — | 75% | $15,049 |
| Industrial Safety Engineering Technician | 50% | 74% | 61% | $13,668 |
| Welding Robotic Operation | 94% | 88% | 79% | $12,127 |
| IT-Web Design Specialist | — | 43% | 29% | $9,007 |
| Industrial Electrician | 42% | 93% | 83% | $21,019 |
| Move to Manufacturing | 100% | 59% | 83% | $10,940 |
| Crop Scout | 100% | 67% | 25% | $12,416 |
| Wood Technology | 82% | 80% | 79% | $6,598 |
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 Northcentral Technical College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Northcentral Technical College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
44.3%
Working Student Success
52.2%
Transfer Out Rate
17%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.8%
How Northcentral Technical College Compares
A completion rate of 44% places Northcentral Technical College in the typical zone for trade colleges. 2% are still enrolled, meaning the final completion picture continues to evolve — this is a metric where a school's profile changes over time as cohorts mature.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Northcentral Technical College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Northcentral Technical 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 55.7% 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 Northcentral Technical 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 18.5% 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 Northcentral Technical 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 (52.2% vs 35.4% 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 Northcentral Technical College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 3,123 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 Non-first-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All Non-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.