Survey Reveals Community Colleges’ Impact on Workforce Development, Recent ‘Success Rate’ Metric Introduced
Community colleges are vital engines of workforce development, providing crucial education and training opportunities. A recent survey, the 2025 Survey of Community College Outcomes (SCCO), offers a new lens through which to evaluate their performance and contribution to the economy. Initiated in 2021 as a pilot study of 10 schools, the SCCO has expanded to include 189 community colleges across 11 states as of 2025, encompassing institutions in Arkansas, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia .
Expanding the Scope of Community College Evaluation
Traditionally, policymakers and researchers have relied on graduation rates from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to assess the success of post-secondary institutions, including community colleges. However, the SCCO argues that traditional graduation rates often overlook the diverse student populations and pathways served by community colleges .
Introducing the Richmond Fed Success Rate
To address this limitation, the SCCO has developed a new metric: the Richmond Fed Success Rate. This metric aims to provide a more comprehensive measure of student success by accounting for the full spectrum of students attending community colleges and the various pathways they pursue. The Richmond Fed Success Rate uses a four-year time horizon to measure success.
Key Differences Between Traditional Graduation Rates and the Richmond Fed Cohort
| Traditional Graduation Rate Cohort | Richmond Fed Cohort | |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment Type | Award-seeking credit students | Award-seeking credit students |
| Enrollment History | First-time students at any post-secondary institution | First-time students at this institution |
| Semester of Entry | Fall semester | Anytime during cohort entry year |
| Credit-Hour Enrollment Status | Full-time students | Full-time and part-time students |
| Success Timeline | 150% expected time to completion | 4 years after entry |
To calculate the Richmond Fed Success Rate, students are considered successful if they meet one of the following criteria:
- Awarded a workforce-recognized credential or licensure
- Transferred to a four-year institution prior to earning an award
- Persisted (enrolled in any term during the study year, completed at least 30 credit hours, and had a 2.0 GPA)
2025 SCCO Results: A Broader View of Success
The aggregate Richmond Fed Success Rate across the 189 institutions surveyed was 49.8 percent for students entering in the 2020-21 academic year. In comparison, a traditional graduation rate measure for the same schools, based on IPEDS data, was 33.8 percent . Among full-time students, the success rate was 56.6 percent.
State-Level Variations and Future Research
The SCCO data reveals that state policies, funding models, and higher education systems significantly influence aggregate state success rates. The survey also highlights the importance of considering local factors, such as the availability of community resources and the needs of the local labor market, in evaluating community college success. Future publications will delve deeper into these state-level variations and explore how institutional and student characteristics drive student pathways.
Data Collection and Collaboration
The SCCO emphasizes the collaborative nature of the data collection process. In most states, data was provided through a state-organized community college system or the state higher education agency. The survey team worked closely with data providers to ensure consistent definitions and standardized reporting timelines. A full methodology of the 2025 SCCO data collection and variable construction will be published in March 2026.
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