Do Students Succeed at Ridgewater College?
Explore what happens after enrollment at Ridgewater College — completion, transfer, and outcome statistics.
Student Success at Ridgewater College at a Glance
Ridgewater College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Willmar, MN. Current enrollment is 3,148 students.
- 50.2% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 43.9% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 75% of exiters from its largest program (Communication Studies Transfer Pathway) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $5,253 per quarter after exiting Communication Studies Transfer Pathway
- 879 graduates across 115 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 55 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 Ridgewater 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Studies Transfer Pathway | 54% | 75% | 79% | $5,253 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | 54% | 75% | 79% | $5,253 |
| Psychology Transfer Pathway | 54% | 75% | 79% | $5,253 |
| Nursing (MANE) | 45% | 88% | 88% | $8,488 |
| Farm Operation and Management | 24% | 41% | 39% | $10,001 |
| Veterinary Technology | 76% | 75% | 77% | $7,100 |
| Law Enforcement | 31% | 79% | 81% | $8,033 |
| Law Enforcement Transfer Pathway | 31% | 79% | 81% | $8,033 |
| Computer Aided Drafting and Design | 53% | 41% | 38% | $11,471 |
| Nondestructive Testing Technology | 68% | 64% | 61% | $9,589 |
| Early Childhood Education | 45% | 79% | 76% | $5,879 |
| Entry Level Welder | 81% | 87% | 83% | $9,888 |
| Industrial Welding | 81% | 87% | 83% | $9,888 |
| Welding | 81% | 87% | 83% | $9,888 |
| Electrical Technology | 81% | 88% | 83% | $10,228 |
| Electrician | 81% | 88% | 83% | $10,228 |
| Accountant | 55% | 82% | 75% | $8,199 |
| Practical Nursing | 94% | 92% | 93% | $9,479 |
| Marketing and Sales Management | 53% | 86% | 82% | $6,584 |
| Computer Programmer | 45% | 78% | 75% | $4,951 |
| Business Transfer Pathway | 13% | 81% | 77% | $6,522 |
| Cosmetology | 71% | 79% | 81% | $4,581 |
| Communication Studies | 39% | 74% | 75% | $6,687 |
| Early Childhood Special Education | 68% | 79% | 76% | $4,897 |
| Multimedia Design Technology | 67% | 78% | 88% | $6,539 |
| Paramedic | 52% | 89% | 89% | $10,243 |
| Agri Business | 82% | 74% | 72% | $8,479 |
| Automotive Service Technology | 81% | 83% | 83% | $9,146 |
| Occupational Skills | 94% | 59% | 58% | $2,558 |
| Medical Assistant | 86% | 84% | 86% | $7,131 |
| Professional Photography | 80% | 76% | 77% | $4,452 |
| Professional Photography Technology | 80% | 76% | 77% | $4,452 |
| Activity Director | 56% | 55% | 55% | $8,879 |
| Massage Therapy | 91% | 68% | 64% | $6,929 |
| CAD Technician | 56% | 44% | 47% | $11,337 |
| Manufacturing Automation Technologies | 65% | 86% | 82% | $12,481 |
| Auto Body Collision Technology | 84% | 86% | 81% | $8,840 |
| Healthcare Administrative Assistant | 64% | 79% | 74% | $6,820 |
| Agronomy Applicator Technician | 74% | 76% | 82% | $11,366 |
| Agronomy Technology | 74% | 76% | 82% | $11,366 |
| GPS/GIS Technology for Agriculture | 74% | 76% | 82% | $11,366 |
| Precision Farming | 74% | 76% | 82% | $11,366 |
| Computer Support Technician | 43% | 77% | 86% | $6,262 |
| CNC Precision Manufacturing Technician | 76% | 89% | 86% | $12,363 |
| CNC Technician | 76% | 89% | 86% | $12,363 |
| Computer Numerical Control Technician | 76% | 89% | 86% | $12,363 |
| Network Systems Administration | 80% | 70% | 64% | $9,324 |
| Administrative Assistant | 53% | 83% | 73% | $7,465 |
| Dairy Management | 80% | 44% | 45% | $8,749 |
| Advanced Esthetics | 79% | 68% | 71% | $4,391 |
| Estheology | 79% | 68% | 71% | $4,391 |
| Sales and Management Associate | 47% | 76% | 74% | $7,028 |
| Marketing and Design | 67% | 81% | 83% | $4,568 |
| Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway | 47% | 80% | 73% | $10,446 |
| Legal Assistant | 54% | 63% | 70% | $8,702 |
| Medical Coding Specialist | 46% | 79% | 71% | $6,714 |
| Agriculture Power and Equipment Technician | 58% | 84% | 73% | $11,877 |
| Phlebotomist | 67% | 78% | 73% | $3,777 |
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 73% | 69% | 83% | $6,345 |
| Manufacturing Production Technologies | 71% | 88% | 91% | $14,374 |
| Web Developer | 69% | 77% | 85% | $8,248 |
| Biological Sciences | — | 78% | 70% | $3,357 |
| Photography and Design | 50% | 83% | 60% | $5,380 |
| Health Sciences Broad Field | — | 57% | 71% | $2,591 |
| Poultry Management | 83% | — | — | — |
| Machining Technician | 82% | 91% | 89% | $13,029 |
| Accounting Clerk | — | 100% | 100% | $5,523 |
| Accounting Technician | — | 100% | 100% | $5,523 |
| Entrepreneurship | 57% | 71% | 75% | $7,389 |
| Agricultural Science and Technology | 56% | 67% | 56% | $3,615 |
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 Ridgewater College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Ridgewater College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
43.9%
Working Student Success
45.2%
Transfer Out Rate
20.6%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.1%
How Ridgewater College Compares
44% of students at Ridgewater College complete their programs — a number that's neither standout nor concerning by trade-college standards. 21% transfer and 1% are continuing. The full success picture combines all three; raw completion alone undersells trade-school outcomes.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Ridgewater College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Ridgewater 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 55.6% 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 Ridgewater 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 11.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 17.0% 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 Ridgewater 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 (45.2% vs 42.8% 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 Ridgewater College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,302 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
Part-time First-time Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Students
All Part-time Students
All Full-time Students
Full-time 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.