Performance Measures

The graduation rates of community colleges have gained more attention recently as state and federal policymakers and accreditors increasingly assess college performance based on student outcomes rather than traditional input indicators, such as enrollment levels and faculty qualifications. At first glance, community college graduation rates appear to be low. In the first six years after initial enrollment at a community college, only 36 percent of all students earn a certificate or an associate or bachelor’s degree, according to the Beginning Postsecondary Student