Student Achievement

Our Mission

With commitment to the principles of access, opportunity, student success, and excellence, the mission of Northern Virginia Community College is to deliver world-class, in-person and online postsecondary teaching, learning, and workforce development to ensure our region and the Commonwealth of Virginia have an educated population and a globally competitive workforce.

Public Disclosure of Student Achievement

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Principles of Accreditation, Standard 8.1 (Student Achievement) requires institutions to identify, evaluate, and publish goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution's mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered. It also indicates that the institution should use multiple measures to document student success. Requirements for publication are further specified in the SACSCOC Policy on Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure.

Measures of Student Achievement Criteria at NOVA

NOVA’s eight primary student achievement criteria are College Readiness, Enrollment, Course Success, Retention, Graduation, Transfer, Employment, and Licensing Exams. These student achievement criteria are directly related to NOVA’s mission and commitment to the values of student access and success.

The figures below highlight NOVA’s performance on each of the eight student achievement criteria. The figures also include an achievement goal for each criterion, set as part of NOVA’s strategic planning process. The achievement goal serves as a target performance level. NOVA is committed to continuous improvement on each of its eight student achievement criteria.

College readiness is the percentage of first-time NOVA students enrolled in a developmental course in their first term who subsequently enrolled in a college-level course within two years of initial enrollment.

  • English: College readiness in English is developmental English students’ rate of progression to ENG 111:  College Composition I.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2022 cohort: 94.6 percent
  • Math: College readiness in math is developmental math students’ rate of progression to two separate college-level math courses: MTH 151/154:  Mathematics for the Liberal Arts I / Quantitative Reasoning or MTH 161/163:  Pre-Calculus I.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2022 cohort = 41.3 percent (MTH 151/154) and 42.5 percent (MTH 161/163)

Developmental English Student Progression to College-Level English (Eng 111):
Fall 2016 through Fall 2022

Developmental English Student Progression to College-Level English (Eng 111): Fall 2016 through Fall 2021

Cohort N Progressed
Fall 2016 1,390 1,232 88.6%
Fall 2017 1,201 1,031 85.8%
Fall 2018 1,235 1,061 85.9%
Fall 2019 1,494 1,299 86.9%
Fall 2020 948 880 92.8%
Fall 2021 1,153 1,080 93.7%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
Notes: College-level English is ENG 111:  College Composition I. Progression within two years of initial enrollment (e.g., Fall 2017: progressed between Fall 2017 and Summer 2019). Data include first-time to NOVA students who enrolled in developmental English during their first term of enrollment.

Developmental Math Student Progression to College-Level Math (MTH 151/154):
Fall 2016 through Fall 2022 Developmental Math Student Progression to College-Level Math (MTH 151/154)

Developmental Math Student Progression to College-Level Math (MTH 161/163):
Fall 2016 through Fall 2022

Developmental Math Student Progression to College-Level Math (MTH 161)

Cohort N Progressed
Fall 2016 1,390 1,232 88.6%
Fall 2017 1,201 1,031 85.8%
Fall 2018 1,235 1,061 85.9%
Fall 2019 1,494 1,299 86.9%
Fall 2020 948 880 92.8%
Fall 2021 1,153 1,080 93.7%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
Notes: In Fall 2018, the math curriculum was redesigned. MTH 151:  Mathematics for the Liberal Arts I was replaced with MTH 154:  Quantitative Reasoning. MTH 163:  Pre-Calculus I was reclassified as MTH 161:  Pre-Calculus I Progression within two years of initial enrollment (e.g., Fall 2017: progressed between Fall 2017 and Summer 2019). Data includes first-time to NOVA students who enrolled in developmental math during their first term of enrollment.

NOVA measures enrollment through two metrics:

  • Fall Headcount: The fall headcount is defined as the headcount of students enrolled in the fall semester.
    • Achievement goal for Fall 2024: 55,000 students
  • Annual Headcount: The annual unduplicated headcount is defined as the unduplicated headcount of students enrolled at any time during the entire 12-month academic year (i.e., summer, fall, and spring semesters).
    • Achievement goal for annual enrollment in 2024-25 = 75,000 students

Fall Headcount: Fall 2018 through Fall 2024

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Annual Unduplicated Headcount: 2018-19 through 2024-25

bar chart

Fall Headcount and Annual Unduplicated Headcount: 2018-19 through 2023-24
Academic Year Fall Headcount Annual Unduplicated Headcount
2018-19 50,929 73,639
2019-20 51,822 71,837
2020-21 52,873 74,804
2021-22 53,500 75,500
2022-23 51,896 71,513
2023-24 53,810 73,697
2024-25 55,000 75,000
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.

Course success is defined as a grade of ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘P’, or ‘S’. Course success at NOVA is measured in two ways:

  • Overall Success:The overall course success rate for the College.
    • Achievement goal in Fall 2024: 75.5 percent
  • Gatekeeper Success:The success rates in five college-level gatekeeper courses.
    • Achievement goals for the Fall 2024 cohort:
      • ACC 211 – Principles of Accounting I= 67 percent
      • BIO 101 – General Biology I= 75 percent
      • ENG 111 – English Composition I= 75 percent
      • MTH 154 – Quantitative Reasoning= 65 percent
      • MTH 161 – Pre-Calculus I= 60 percent

Overall Course Success Rate: Fall 2017 through Fall 2024

Overall Course Success Rate: Fall 2017 through Fall 2024 *Achievement goal. Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.

Term Total Course Enrollment Success Rate
Fall 2017 141,179 104,696 74.2
Fall 2018 130,529 94,818 72.6
Fall 2019 130,467 98,592 75.6
Fall 2020 134,529 101,812 75.7
Fall 2021 111,070 79,854 71.9
Fall 2022 121,763 89,599 73.6
Fall 2023 109,198 80,712 73.9

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in ACC 211: Principles of Accounting I
– Fall 2016 through Fall 2023

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in ACC 211

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in BIO 101: General Biology I –
Fall 2017 through Fall 2023

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in BIO 101

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in ENG 111: College Composition I –
Fall 2017 through Fall 2023

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in ENG 111

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in MTH 151: Math for the Liberal Arts I/
MTH 154: Quantitative Reasoning – Fall 2017 through Fall 2023

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in MTH 151

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in MTH 163/161: Pre-Calculus I –
Fall 2017 through Fall 2023

Gatekeeper Course Success Rate in MTH 163

Cohort ACC 211 BIO 101 ENG 111 MTH 151/154 MTH 163/161
N Succeeded N Succeeded N Succeeded N Succeeded N Succeeded
# % # % # % # % # %
Fall 2017 449 294 65.5 1,327 1,003 75.6 6,505 4,835 74.3 977 649 66.4 1,790 1,019 56.9
Fall 2018 408 279 68.4 1,594 1,234 77.4 6,593 4,910 74.5 1,788 1,133 63.4 1,690 926 54.8
Fall 2019 386 280 72.5 1,373 1,134 82.6 8,116 6,556 80.8 1,954 1,275 65.3 1,688 1,139 67.5
Fall 2020 379 279 73.6 1,274 980 76.9 9,006 7,064 78.4 1,997 1,244 62.3 1,744 1,147 65.7
Fall 2021 334 208 62.3 1,003 687 68.5 9,039 5,996 66.4 1,749 1,116 63.8 1,498 853 56.9
Fall 2022 411 250 60.8 1,541 1,105 71.7 10,572 8,431 79.8 1,954 1,191 61.0 2,021 1,280 63.3

Retention is measured through two metrics:

  • Fall-to-Spring Retention Rate: The percentage of first-time, program placed students enrolled in the fall who either re-enrolled or successfully completed their program by the subsequent spring.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2023 entering cohort = 78.0 percent
  • Fall-to-Fall Retention Rate: The percentage of first-time, program placed students enrolled in the fall who either re-enrolled or successfully completed their program by the subsequent fall.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2023 entering cohort = 65.0 percent

Fall-to-Spring Retention Rate: Fall 2016 through Fall 2023

Fall-to-Spring Retention Rate: Fall 2016 through Fall 2023

Fall-to-Fall Retention Rate: Fall 2018 through Fall 2023

Fall-to-Spring Retention Rate: Fall 2018 through Fall 2023

Fall-to-Spring and Fall-to-Fall Retention Rates: Fall 2014 through Fall 2022

    Retained from Fall to Spring Retained from Fall to Fall
Cohort N # % # %
Fall 2014 9,141 7,325 80.1% 5,787 63.6%
Fall 2015 9,330 7,606 81.5% 5,913 63.4%
Fall 2016 8,884 7,269 81.8% 5,851 65.9%
Fall 2017 8,619 6,971 80.9% 5,621 65.2%
Fall 2018 8,799 7,171 81.5% 5,679 64.5%
Fall 2019 8,404 6,847 81.5% 5,730 62.6%
Fall 2020 8,728 6,817 78.1% 5,569 63.8%
Fall 2021 8,822 7,234 82.0% 5,311 60.2%
Fall 2022 8,738 6,614 75.7% 5,270 60.3%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
Notes: Fall-to-spring retention is the percentage of first-time in college, program placed students who enter in the fall and either re-enroll or successfully complete their program by the following spring semester. Fall-to-fall retention is the percentage of first-time in college, program placed students who enter in the fall and either re-enroll or successfully complete their program by the following fall semester.

Graduation is assessed through two measures:

  • Number of Graduates: The total unduplicated number of annual graduates.
    • Achievement goal in 2023-24 = 6,681 graduates
  • Graduation Rate: The graduation rate is the percentage of first-time in college, full-time, degree-/certificate-seeking students who complete their program within 150 percent of normal time to program completion.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2018 entering cohort = 37.6 percent

Annual Number of Graduates: 2016-17 through 2023-24

Annual Number of Graduates: 2016-17 through 2023-24

Annual Number of Graduates: 2016-17 through 2022-23

Academic Year Graduates
2016-17 6,669
2017-18 6,347
2018-19 6,747
2019-20 6,954
2020-21 7,799
2021-22 7,799
2022-23 6,197
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.

Graduation Rate: Fall 2014 through Fall 2021

  Graduation Rate: Fall 2014 through Fall 2021

Graduation Rate: Fall 2014 through Fall 2020

Cohort N Graduated
# %
Fall 2012 5,137 1,159 22.6%
Fall 2013 5,819 1,389 23.9%
Fall 2014 5,815 1,456 25.0%
Fall 2015 5,881 1,543 26.2%
Fall 2016 5,793 1,548 26.7%
Fall 2017 5,505 1,613 29.3%
Fall 2018 5,667 1,863 32.9%
Fall 2019 5,127 1,816 35.4%
Fall 2020 4,974 1,787 *35.9%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College
Notes: Graduates include first-time in college, full-time, program placed students who graduated within 150 percent of normal time to program completion, including summer.
*Fall 2020 data are preliminary due to delayed award completions.

NOVA measures transfer through two metrics:

  • Number of Transfers: The total number of annual transfers to four-year institutions.
    • Achievement goal in 2023-24: 15,000 transfers
  • Transfer-Out Rate: The percentage of first-time in college, full-time, degree-/certificate-seeking students who transferred out of NOVA to another two-year or four-year institution within 150 percent of normal time to program completion without earning a NOVA credential.
    • Achievement goal for the Fall 2021 entering cohort: 16.0 percent

Annual Number of Transfers: 2018-19 through 2023-24

Annual Number of Transfers: 2018-19 through 2023-24

Annual Number of Transfers: 2018-19 through 2022-23

Academic Year Number of Transfers
2018-19 12,101
2019-20 11,714
2020-21 12,900
2021-22 14,225
2022-23 13,863
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
Notes: Data include students who previously attended NOVA within the prior eight years, e.g., for 2018-19, data include students who attended NOVA between 2011-12 and 2018-19 and transferred to a four-year institution during the 2018-19 academic year (regardless of when they were last enrolled at NOVA).

Transfer-Out Rate: Fall 2015 through Fall 2021

Annual Number of Transfers: 2018-19 through 2023-24

Transfer-Out Rate: Fall 2015 through Fall 2020

Cohort N Transferred Out of NOVA
# $
Fall 2015 5,881 919 15.6%
Fall 2016 5,793 994 17.2%
Fall 2017 5,505 804 14.6%
Fall 2018 5,667 840 14.8%
Fall 2019 5,127 778 15.2%
Fall 2020 4,974 628 12.6%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
Notes: Transfers include first-time in college, full-time, program placed students who transferred out of NOVA to another two- or four-year institution within 150 percent of normal time to program completion, including summer, but does not include students who graduated from NOVA prior to transferring.

The employment rate is the percentage of graduates employed in the Commonwealth of Virginia within one year of graduation from NOVA.

  • Achievement goal for 2022-23 graduates = 65 percent

Employment Rate: 2015-16 through 2022-23

Sources: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College; and Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Notes: Data include students who were employed in the Commonwealth of Virginia within one year of graduation from NOVA. Data exclude military personnel, federal civilian employees, and self-employed individuals.
Graduation Year N Employed
# %
2015-16 6,939 4,714 67.9
2016-17 6,669 4,548 68.2
2017-18 6,347 4,175 65.8
2018-19 6,747 3,948 58.5
2019-20 6,954 4,172 60.0
2020-21 7,799 4,804 61.6
2021-22 7,799 4,740 60.8
Sources: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College; and Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Notes: Data include students who were employed in the Commonwealth of Virginia within one year of graduation from NOVA. Data exclude military personnel, federal civilian employees, and self-employed individuals.

The licensing exam pass rate is the percentage of graduates who pass the national or state licensing exam for their program following graduation from NOVA.

  • Achievement Goal for 2023 = 100.0 percent

Licensing Examination Pass Rates: 2023

Licensing Examination Pass Rates: 2023

* Due to COVID, Diagnostic Medical Sonography students who were scheduled to graduate in December 0f 2020, required an additional semester and graduated May of 2021. Therefore, in 2020 there no graduates and no registry attempts.
** Veterinary Technology 2023 exam pass rates are currently unavailable.

Pass Rates for Licensing Exams 2017 – 2023

Program 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
# of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate # of Students Pass Rate
Certified Dental Assistant 11 100% 7 100% 7 100% 2 100% 1 100% 1 100% 1 100%
Diagnostic Medical Sonography* 12 100% 17 100% 15 100% 0 0% 40 100% 18 100% 21 100%
Paramedic 29 86% 25 88% 24 83% 28 74% 28 90% 21 81% 24 79%
Emergency Medical Technician – Basic 107 92% 111 81% 79 82% 67 75% 66 80% 61 80% 56 70%
Registered Nurse 156 89% 145 87% 127 86% 72 77% - - 147 86% 56 96%
Veterinary Technology** 46 76% 58 86% 38 68% 27 82% 35 60% 29 75% -- --
Registered Technologist in Radiography 31 87% 33 94% 32 84% 25 89% 33 61% 32 75% 30 77%
Certified Respiratory Therapist 17 100% 15 100% 13 92% 14 93% 15 100% 12 100% 12 92%
Physical Therapist Assistant 26 100% 34 100% 27 96% 29 97% 33 100% 23 91% 22 96%
Registered Dental Hygienist 37 95% 31 94% 39 85% 27 100% 33 100% 27 96% 24 100%
Medical Laboratory Technician 16 94% 9 100% 13 100% 5 100% 15 86% 8 87% 8 75%
Occupational Therapy Assistant 16 100% 17 100% 15 100% 2 100% 22 100% 17 82% 19 79%
Source: Office of Strategic Insights, Northern Virginia Community College.
* Due to COVID, Diagnostic Medical Sonography students who were scheduled to graduate in December of 2020, required an additional semester and graduated May of 2021. Therefore, in 2020 there will be no graduates and no registry attempts.
** Veterinary Technology 2023 exam pass rates are currently unavailable. Notes: Exam Takers include all program graduates who took the licensing exam for their program in the indicated year, regardless of the year they graduated from NOVA. Data may include more than one exam attempt or students retaking the exam.
Data as of 11/01/2024.