Do Students Succeed at Porterville College?

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

Porterville, CA

Student Success at Porterville College at a Glance

Porterville College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Porterville, CA. Current enrollment is 4,784 students.

  • 33.8% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
  • 30.7% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
  • 3% of exiters from its largest program (Fire Technology) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
  • DOL-verified median earnings of $17,288 per quarter after exiting Fire Technology
  • 876 graduates across 62 programs in 2025
  • VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 41 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 Porterville 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.

ProgramCompletion rateEmployed 6 mo after exitEmployed 1 yr after exitMedian quarterly earnings
Fire Technology71%3%3%$17,288
Registered Nursing85%97%95%
Psychiatric Technology75%89%94%
Welding Technology90%

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 Porterville College?

Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Porterville College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.

Overall Completion Rate

30.7%

Working Student Success

26.2%

Transfer Out Rate

22.7%

Still Enrolled Rate

0%

How Porterville College Compares

A completion rate of 31% places Porterville College in the typical zone for trade colleges. 0% 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 Porterville College?

Eight-Year Student Outcomes

Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Porterville College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.

29.9%
14.4%
54.5%
Completed
29.9%
465 students
Still Enrolled
1.1%
17 students
Transferred Out
14.4%
224 students
No Award
54.5%
847 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 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 Porterville 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(629 cohort size)
39.0%
39.0% completed
12.0% transferred to other institutions
Transfer-In Students(138 cohort size)
39.0%
39.0% completed
30.0% transferred again to other institutions
Continuing Students(377 cohort size)
25.0%
25.0% completed

Key Insights

First-time and transfer students achieve similar completion rates, indicating equitable support regardless of entry pathway.

Combined 21.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.

Cohort Composition

629
First-Time
138
Transfer-In
377
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 Porterville College?

Full-time Students
35%
Part-time Students
26.2%
First-time Students
37.3%
Transfer Students
30%

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 (35%) compared to part-time students (26.2%). 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 Porterville College?

Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,312 students

After 4 Years

58
Certificates
336
Associate Degrees
394
Total Awards
30%
Completion Rate

After 6 Years

57
Certificates
377
Associate Degrees
434
Total Awards
33%
Completion Rate

After 8 Years (Final)

60
Certificates
405
Associate Degrees
465
Total Awards
0%
Completion Rate

Final Student Status

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

Completion Breakdown by Cohort

Full-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 461
8-Year Rate: 42%

Full-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 83
8-Year Rate: 41%

All First-time Students

Cohort Size: 629
8-Year Rate: 39%

All First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 138
8-Year Rate: 39%

All Full-time Students

Cohort Size: 819
8-Year Rate: 37%

Part-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 55
8-Year Rate: 36%

Part-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 168
8-Year Rate: 31%

Full-time Non-first-time Students

Cohort Size: 172
8-Year Rate: 28%

Time to Completion

Average time: 5 years
Median time: 5 years
Complete on time: 26.8%

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.

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