Do Students Succeed at South Central College?
Explore what happens after enrollment at South Central College — completion, transfer, and outcome statistics.
Student Success at South Central College at a Glance
South Central College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in North Mankato, MN. Current enrollment is 2,731 students.
- 39.1% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 31.6% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 81% 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 $5,529 per quarter after exiting Communication Studies Transfer Pathway
- 664 graduates across 114 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 45 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 South Central 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 | 20% | 81% | 79% | $5,529 |
| Economics Transfer Pathway | 20% | 81% | 79% | $5,529 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | 20% | 81% | 79% | $5,529 |
| Business Management | 24% | 79% | 78% | $6,690 |
| Advanced Farm Business Management | 18% | 32% | 27% | $8,545 |
| Applications in Farm Business Management | 18% | 32% | 27% | $8,545 |
| Essentials of Farm Business Management | 18% | 32% | 27% | $8,545 |
| Farm Business Management | 18% | 32% | 27% | $8,545 |
| Farm Business Management AgSpark | 18% | 32% | 27% | $8,545 |
| Nursing | 83% | 88% | 87% | $14,116 |
| Business Transfer Pathway | 22% | 82% | 83% | $5,750 |
| Mechatronics Engineering Technology | 59% | 82% | 79% | $11,929 |
| Pre-Social Work Transfer Pathway | 19% | 74% | 78% | $5,025 |
| Accountant | 40% | 87% | 83% | $8,223 |
| Advanced Welding | 76% | 82% | 77% | $8,667 |
| Early Childhood Education | 34% | 81% | 81% | $6,351 |
| Early Childhood Education Transfer Pathway | 34% | 81% | 81% | $6,351 |
| Welding | 76% | 82% | 77% | $8,667 |
| Welding and Machining Technology | 76% | 82% | 77% | $8,667 |
| Welding Fabrication | 76% | 82% | 77% | $8,667 |
| Information Systems | 21% | 70% | 73% | $5,946 |
| Global Education | — | 86% | 87% | $5,860 |
| Machine Tool Technology | 43% | 84% | 83% | $9,544 |
| Machine Tool Technology Right Skills Now | 43% | 84% | 83% | $9,544 |
| Networking Services | 50% | 82% | 78% | $8,894 |
| Phlebotomy | 52% | 86% | 84% | $6,931 |
| Civil Engineering Technology | 58% | 90% | 82% | $11,003 |
| Dental Assisting | 65% | 88% | 93% | $8,558 |
| Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning/Refrig | 39% | 92% | 92% | $8,546 |
| Family Services | 24% | 75% | 76% | $7,212 |
| Multimedia Technology | 29% | 75% | 70% | $5,454 |
| Intermediate Mechatronics Engineering Technology | 62% | 33% | 43% | $9,380 |
| Mechatronics Industrial Maintenance | 62% | 33% | 43% | $9,380 |
| Computer Assistant | 85% | 75% | 74% | $5,213 |
| Graphic Communications | 41% | 78% | 71% | $4,930 |
| Culinary Arts | 47% | 87% | 83% | $5,858 |
| Practical Nursing | 80% | 90% | 89% | $10,286 |
| Administrative Office Specialist | 57% | 80% | 77% | $8,201 |
| Intensive Care Paramedic Technician | 49% | 96% | 92% | $14,618 |
| Automotive Service | 27% | 80% | 87% | $9,169 |
| Marketing Management | 33% | 85% | 78% | $6,599 |
| Health Unit Coordinator | 73% | 82% | 86% | $6,414 |
| Medical Assistant | 79% | 82% | 84% | $7,474 |
| HVAC/R - Advanced | 53% | 84% | 81% | $8,696 |
| HVAC/R - Foundation | 53% | 84% | 81% | $8,696 |
| Refrigeration Technology | 53% | 84% | 81% | $8,696 |
| Agribusiness Production | 55% | 61% | 63% | $7,846 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | 66% | 75% | 74% | $10,638 |
| Health Sciences Broad Field | 4% | 78% | 76% | $4,333 |
| Architectural Drafting and Design | 26% | 80% | 80% | $8,023 |
| Agribusiness Service and Management | 65% | 82% | 85% | $9,236 |
| Biology Transfer Pathway | — | 88% | 84% | $6,202 |
| Auto Body and Collision Technology | 53% | 81% | 81% | $8,302 |
| Agribusiness Service Technician | 62% | 90% | 88% | $12,419 |
| Agribusiness Technician | 62% | 90% | 88% | $12,419 |
| Agribusiness Technician's Aide | 62% | 90% | 88% | $12,419 |
| Network Administration | 13% | 72% | 73% | $5,213 |
| Carpentry | 50% | 80% | 79% | $8,023 |
| Cloud Computing & Virtualization Administration | 15% | 76% | 88% | $6,139 |
| Geographic Information Systems | 77% | 84% | 90% | $11,410 |
| Accounting Assistant | 48% | 88% | 76% | $7,174 |
| Accounting Technician | 48% | 88% | 76% | $7,174 |
| Payroll Clerk | 48% | 88% | 76% | $7,174 |
| Agribusiness AgSpark Agronomy | 57% | 67% | 81% | $11,004 |
| Administrative Office Management | 29% | 93% | 86% | $7,780 |
| Energy Technical Specialist | — | 75% | 100% | $3,628 |
| Web Programmer | 27% | 82% | 64% | $5,748 |
| Administrative Office Specialist-Business Software | 33% | 83% | 64% | $9,949 |
| Ag Chemical Applicator Technician | 30% | 70% | 70% | $10,595 |
| Admin Office Specialist-Client Relations Spec | 67% | 100% | 75% | $7,471 |
| Professional Swine Manager | — | 100% | 80% | $8,201 |
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 South Central College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at South Central College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
31.6%
Working Student Success
34.6%
Transfer Out Rate
28.1%
Still Enrolled Rate
1%
How South Central College Compares
32% completion at South Central College is mid-pack for the trade-school landscape. The 28% transfer-out rate adds important context — many trade students intentionally use their first credential as a stepping stone to a four-year school, so transfer often signals success rather than dropout.
What Happens After Students Enroll at South Central College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered South Central 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 49.4% 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 South Central 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 10.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 25.5% 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 South Central 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 (34.6% vs 28.6% 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 South Central College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,163 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
All Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Part-time Students
Full-time Non-first-time Transfer 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.