Do Students Succeed at Southwest Virginia Community College?
A data-driven look at student outcomes at Southwest Virginia Community College — completion rates, transfers, and enrollment status.
Student Success at Southwest Virginia Community College at a Glance
Southwest Virginia Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Cedar Bluff, VA. Current enrollment is 2,364 students.
- 46.1% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 27.9% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 87% of exiters from its largest program (Registered Nursing) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $9,922 per quarter after exiting Registered Nursing
- 651 graduates across 75 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 85 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 Southwest Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 64% | 87% | 91% | $9,922 |
| Welding Career Studies Certificate | 91% | 59% | 71% | $6,581 |
| Licensed Practical Nursing | 53% | 50% | 91% | $6,381 |
| Electrical/Electronics Associate of Applied Science | 40% | 100% | 100% | $7,704 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 100% | — | — | — |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 100% | 77% | 42% | $8,323 |
| Automotive Diagnostics and Repair Career Studies Certificate | 63% | 40% | 80% | $3,338 |
| Radiography | 89% | — | — | — |
| Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Career Studies Certificate | 100% | 83% | 100% | $9,853 |
| CompTIA Security+ | 100% | — | — | — |
| Advanced Manufacturing Associate of Applied Science | 100% | — | — | — |
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 Southwest Virginia Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Southwest Virginia Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
27.9%
Working Student Success
26.6%
Transfer Out Rate
12.6%
Still Enrolled Rate
2.5%
How Southwest Virginia Community College Compares
Southwest Virginia Community College's 28% completion rate is right in the typical band for trade and vocational schools — most peer institutions land somewhere in the 30–50% range. Another 13% transfer out and 2% remain enrolled; these together usually account for the bulk of the cohort, with only a smaller share leaving without a clear next step.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Southwest Virginia Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Southwest Virginia 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 42.1% 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 Southwest Virginia 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
First-time students have an advantage of 16.0 percentage points over transfer students, which may reflect the benefits of starting fresh at the institution.
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 Southwest Virginia 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 (29.2%) compared to part-time students (26.6%). 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 Southwest Virginia Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 695 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Students
All First-time Students
Full-time First-time Students
All Full-time Students
All Part-time Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer 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.