For a strong economy, the skills gap must be closed. 61% 34% 27% By 22, jobs requiring a career certificate or college degree Skills gap Too few students make it through college. MEMBER Georgia adults who currently have an associate degree or higher Data: See the Sources and Methodology section on our website. Of students who enroll in a public college or university 1 2-Year Public 4-Year Public Enroll 37 17 44 2 Return as sophomores 2 6 36 1 Graduate on time (1% time) 4 1 11 Additional graduates 15% time 3 1 14 2% time 2 3 Total graduates 9 2 28 Graduate in 4 years 11 28 Graduate in 8 years Key to measuring time Associate Bachelor s 1% time 2 years 4 years 15% time 3 years 6 years 2% time 4 years 8 years Data: 2-year cohort started in fall 24; 4-year cohort started in fall 22 For too many students, the path through college ends with no degree and often lots of debt. Note: This report presents data only from public colleges and universities. Complete America n 1
We re making great progress in providing access to more students. Total public college enrollment: 377,137 Attending Pursuing Degrees & Certificates 251,296 125,841 4-year colleges 212,732 164,45 2-year colleges Total State Population, 18-24 Hispanic 8% White 53% Hispanic 4% Enrollment White 54% Hispanic 3% Graduation White 65% 34% Other races 5% 32% Other races 11% Data: Fall 29 enrollment from IPEDS; population data from Census ACS PUMS 6-8; degrees by race from 27-1 state submissions Now we must have more success from all students. 24% Other races 8% For states to compete, their students must earn more degrees and certificates. Overall Credentials Awarded Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Credentials Awarded 21,945 27,577 4,464 5,64 1,121 9,55 1,218 7,665 1,456 419 1,269 811 23 28 23 28 23 28 23 28 23 28 23 28 Certificate Associate Bachelor s Certificate Associate Bachelor s And all credentials should provide clear pathways to success. Data: 27 8 Complete America n 2
Graduation rates are very low, especially if you re poor, part time,, Hispanic, or older. Certificate-Seeking Students All White Hispanic 25 25 27.3% On-time (1 year) Within 1 1 /2 years Within 2 years Within 1 year Within 1 1 /2 years Within 2 years 16.9% 25 and Over 2 24 Directly from HS (age 17 19) Pell Grant Recipients (at entry) Remedial 19.4% 22.4% 19.6% 15.6% 24.8% 16.5% 16.8% 38.9% 9.2% 25.% 28.3% 27.3% 2.4% 3.2% 21.5% 22.8% 46.6% 16.% 27.3% 3.6% 32.9% 22.6% 32.1% 23.3% 25.6% 49.9% 18.5% 8.1% 8.9% DS* 7.4% 8.6% 7.6% 7.5% 19.9% 3.5% 13.1% 14.7% 9.3% 11.5% 15.% 11.4% 11.2% 29.6% 7.6% 16.9% 18.2% 13.1% 15.5% 2.1% 13.% 14.3% 34.7% 12.8% In most states, very few students seeking certificates ever graduate. Associate Degree- Seeking Students All White Hispanic 24 24 21.4% On-time (2 years) Within 3 years Within 4 years Within 2 years Within 3 years Within 4 years 2.1% 9.9% 25 and Over 2 24 Directly from HS (age 17 19) Pell Grant Recipients (at entry) Remedial 4.9% 5.9% 5.% 2.2% 6.4% 4.1% 4.8% 3.8% 1.5% 13.5% 16.% 14.8% 7.5% 15.% 9.8% 13.9% 11.2% 7.2% 18.1% 21.4% 2.1% 9.9% 18.9% 12.7% 18.8% 15.6% 11.4% 1.9% 2.4% DS* 1.3% 3.3% 1.6% 1.1% 1.6% DS* 6.% 7.3% 8.8% 4.% 7.6% 5.1% 5.4% 5.9% 3.5% 9.7% 11.8% 13.8% 6.4% 12.4% 7.8% 8.8% 1.% 6.6% Associate degree graduation rates are abysmal across the country for Hispanic and students, they re tragic. Bachelor s Degree- Seeking Students All White Hispanic 22 22 On-time (4 years) Within 6 years Within 8 years Within 4 years Within 6 years Within 8 years 25 and Over 2 24 Directly from HS (age 17 19) Pell Grant Recipients (at entry) Remedial 24.3% 26.3% 25.8% 16.2% 6.1% 13.3% 24.9% 16.4% 6.1% 56.7% 59.8% 56.5% 44.7% 17.6% 28.5% 58.1% 44.6% 24.7% 62.3% 65.2% 61.8% 5.8% 2.7% 33.2% 63.7% 5.9% 29.1% 3.5% 3.6% DS* DS* DS* DS* 5.6% 2.9% DS* 15.4% 17.1% DS* 11.% 9.1% 1.4% 23.% 1.7% 7.1% 21.8% 23.4% DS* 16.4% 14.3% 17.% NP* 15.% NP* 17.6% 9.1% 58.1% Almost no one over the age of 25 graduates; students fresh out of high school are most likely to succeed. Data: Certificate cohort started in 25 6, associate cohort started in 24 5, bachelor's cohort started in 22 3 Given changing demographics, our country will not have enough skilled s to compete unless many more students from all backgrounds and walks of life graduate. NP* = The state did not provide data for this metric. DS* = Fewer than 1 students, so data were suppressed. Complete America n 3
Retention rates drop from year to year. Many get discouraged and drop out Students in 2-year colleges who return to campus Start Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Start Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 1% 1% 54.5% 38.5% 38.3% 26.3% Students in 4-year colleges who return to campus 1% 82.2% 71.4% 65.4% 1% 52.4% 37.% 28.7% after falling off track early. Students who earn expected first-year credits (24 credits) Associate Bachelor s (12 credits) Associate Bachelor s 4.1% 6.8% 43.% 31.6% Staying enrolled is particularly tough for part-time students, who must often balance jobs and school. Remediation. 57.1% Data: Associate cohort started in 24 5, bachelor's cohort started in 22 3; earned credits from fall 26 2-Year s 4-Year s 37.1% 18.1% of freshmen require remediation of those 17.2% 7.2% 51.8% of freshmen require remediation of those 35.4% 24.7% Complete remediation Complete remediation and associated college-level courses in two years Graduate within 3 years (projected) Complete remediation Current approaches almost always guarantee failure. Complete remediation and associated college-level courses in two years Graduate within 6 years (projected) Data: Fall 26 Complete America n 4
Precious time and money are lost when students don t graduate on schedule. Students are taking too much time Certificate Associate Bachelor s 2.7 years 3.5 years Should take 1 year for full-time students 3.9 years 4.9 years Should take 2 years for full-time students 4.9 years 6.2 years Should take 4 years for full-time students and too many credits. Certificate Associate Bachelor s 99 credits 96 credits 92 credits 97 credits 133 credits 134 credits Should take 12 credits Should take 3 credits Should take 6 credits More students must graduate on time. Data: 27 8 Complete America n 5
More time isn t giving us enough success. For certificate and associate degree students, graduation rates are very low even when more time. Certificate Associate 19.4% 25.% 13.1% 27.3% 16.9% 4.9% 13.5% 6.% 18.1% 9.7% In 1 year In 1.5 years In 2 years In 2 years In 3 years In 4 years On-time graduation rates for bachelor s degree students are shockingly low. And adding time beyond six years produces little additional success. Bachelor s 56.7% 62.3% 24.3% 15.4% 21.8% In 4 years In 6 years In 8 years Data: Certificate cohort started in 25 6; associate cohort started in 24 5; bachelor's cohort started in 22 3 Even modest progress provides little comfort when overall graduation rates are so low. Complete America n 6
Graduation rates by campus Public two-year colleges (In 3 years) Public four-year colleges (In 6 years) Flint River Technical 64% University of Georgia 8% Grady Health System Professional Schools 6% Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus 79% Sandersville Technical 58% Georgia State University 5% Altamaha Technical 57% Georgia & State University 48% North Georgia Technical 52% Georgia Southern University 47% Albany Technical 47% North Georgia & State University 44% Augusta Technical 44% Valdosta State University 43% Middle Georgia Technical 44% Albany State University 42% Moultrie Technical 44% Kennesaw State University 38% East Central Technical 42% University of West Georgia 37% Griffin Technical 42% Georgia Military -Milledgeville Campus 41% Georgia Southwestern State University Armstrong Atlantic State University 36% 34% Southeastern Technical 4% Columbus State University 33% Heart of Georgia Technical 39% Fort Valley State University 3% Okefenokee Technical 39% Savannah State University 29% South Georgia Technical 38% Southern Polytechnic State University 28% Ogeechee Technical 37% Clayton State University 27% Georgia Northwestern Technical Georgia Military -Atlanta Campus 35% 34% Augusta State University 19% Abraham Baldwin Agricultural 18% Lanier Technical 33% of Coastal Georgia 17% Georgia Military -Warner Robins Campus 32% Dalton State 17% West Georgia Technical 32% Gordon 17% Georgia Military -Augusta Campus 31% Middle Georgia 17% Dekalb Technical 3% Gainesville State 15% Southwest Georgia Technical 3% Macon State 13% Athens Technical 29% Savannah Technical 28% Central Georgia Technical 26% Data: Reported by institutions to NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Graduation rates are for first-time, full-time students completing certificate or degree within 15 percent of normal program time. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 29 1 Graduation Rates Complete America n 7
Graduation rates by campus Public two-year colleges (In 3 years) Public four-year colleges (In 6 years) Georgia Military -Valdosta Campus 26% Gwinnett Technical 26% Valdosta Technical 25% Atlanta Technical 21% Columbus Technical 19% Chattahoochee Technical Georgia Military -Columbus Campus 18% 16% South Georgia 14% Bainbridge 13% Waycross 13% Darton 1% Atlanta Metropolitan 9% Georgia Perimeter 9% Georgia Highlands 8% East Georgia 7% Data: Reported by institutions to NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Graduation rates are for first-time, full-time students completing certificate or degree within 15 percent of normal program time. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 29 1 Graduation Rates Complete America n 8