Do Students Succeed at Southwestern Community College?
A data-driven look at student outcomes at Southwestern Community College — completion rates, transfers, and enrollment status.
Student Success at Southwestern Community College at a Glance
Southwestern Community College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Sylva, NC. Current enrollment is 2,157 students.
- 53.1% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 39.3% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 73% of exiters from its largest program (Business Administration) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $10,131 per quarter after exiting Business Administration
- 689 graduates across 71 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 61 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 Southwestern 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | 30% | 73% | 72% | $10,131 |
| Welding Technology | 19% | 47% | 51% | $5,065 |
| Automotive Systems Technology | 44% | 76% | 76% | $8,578 |
| Carpentry - Diploma | 36% | 46% | 44% | $5,978 |
| Medical Office Administration | 36% | 77% | 81% | $10,125 |
| Cyber Crime Technology | 45% | 68% | 77% | $12,437 |
| Human Services Technology | 42% | 68% | 71% | $6,411 |
| OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP, Associate | 57% | 88% | 84% | $9,032 |
| Respiratory Care | 70% | 89% | 91% | $13,493 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant AAS | 72% | 84% | 86% | $10,442 |
| Radiography | 51% | 89% | 77% | $8,647 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 70% | 74% | 90% | $9,073 |
| Early Childhood Associate | 13% | 81% | 76% | $7,321 |
| Medical Assisting - Assoc | 78% | 86% | 100% | $9,736 |
| Emergency Medical Science | 44% | 76% | 64% | $16,812 |
| Mechatronics Engineering Technology | 41% | 78% | 73% | $14,536 |
| Civil Engineering Tech/Technician | 29% | 62% | 59% | $10,721 |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | 47% | 80% | 81% | $10,258 |
| Associate Degree Nursing (Non-Integrated) | 100% | 100% | 91% | $13,775 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant/Aide | 69% | 84% | 95% | $4,593 |
| Medical Sonography | 94% | 87% | 89% | $12,148 |
| Health Information Technology | 100% | 70% | 73% | $9,204 |
| Human Services Technology, Addiction and Recovery Studies | 40% | 70% | 60% | $10,520 |
| Associate in Arts, Nursing | 100% | 100% | 94% | $14,052 |
| Opticianry | 43% | 100% | 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 Southwestern Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Southwestern Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
39.3%
Working Student Success
36.8%
Transfer Out Rate
25.1%
Still Enrolled Rate
0.9%
How Southwestern Community College Compares
A completion rate of 39% places Southwestern Community College in the typical zone for trade colleges. 1% 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 Southwestern Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Southwestern 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 55.8% 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 Southwestern 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 9.0 percentage points over transfer students, which may reflect the benefits of starting fresh at the institution.
Combined 22.0% 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 Southwestern 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 (41.6%) compared to part-time students (36.8%). 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 Southwestern Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 649 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
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
All Full-time Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Full-time 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.