Student Achievement Data

Student Achievement Data

Arizona Western College is committed to supporting student success through continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and institutional transparency. As part of this commitment, the college tracks and publicly shares key performance indicators that reflect how well we are serving our students and community. These metrics help us monitor progress, inform strategic planning, and fulfill our mission to transform lives through education and partnerships.

Accreditation & Compliance

Arizona Western College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

In accordance with HLC's policy on Public Information (FDCR.A.10.070), AWC publishes information on student success outcomes, including student retention, persistence, completion, and transfer to reflect institutional performance and support transparency.

Retention, Persistence, Completion, and Transfer Goals

AWC has defined the following goals for student retention, persistence, completion, and transfer that are ambitious, attainable, and appropriate to our mission, student populations, and educational offerings:

• Increase Retention by 3% by 2027
• Increase Persistence by 3% by 2027
• Increase Completion by 5% by 2027
• Increase Transfer by 4% by 2027

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

AWC collects and reviews data across several areas to assess student achievement, institutional effectiveness, and equity. These indicators provide insight into who our students are, how they progress, and the outcomes they achieve.

Our publicly available dashboards are updated annually by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research and are reviewed by institutional committees and leadership. They provide disaggregated views of AWC’s performance over time and support internal and external stakeholders in understanding and using data to improve outcomes.

These indicators are grouped into several key categories that reflect different aspects of student success—from enrollment and academic progress to credential completion and post-AWC outcomes.

• Student Headcount & Demographics KPIs display unduplicated annual student counts and disaggregate results by enrollment status, student type, and demographic group.

• Enrollment & FTSE KPIs provide a snapshot of student headcount and full-time student equivalency across academic years.

• Early College, Dual Credit, and High School Pipeline KPIs highlight the number of high school graduates from AWC’s service area enrolling at AWC.
• Student Success & Completion KPIs include measures of retention, persistence, credential attainment, and transfer. These indicators reflect student momentum and outcomes over time and are disaggregated by student group to monitor progress toward institutional goals.
• Passing Rates for Licensure Exams KPIs evaluate the effectiveness of AWC’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in preparing students for industry-specific licensing exams.

Tracking Our Progress

Retention, Persistence, Completion, and Transfer KPI Dashboard

AWC's Definitions of Student Retention, Persistence, Completion, and Transfer Definitions & Methodology

AWC uses Fall cohorts to track student success outcomes, with cohort definitions tailored to institutional priorities. Where appropriate, definitions align with those used in IPEDS surveys, while others reflect broader cohorts for institutional tracking and planning.

• Retention is a short-term measure defined as the percentage of students in a Fall cohort who either re-enrolled at AWC or earn a credential (degree/certificate) at AWC by the following Fall. While IPEDS retention rates include only first-time, full-time, degree/certificate-seeking students, AWC monitors retention for all students, disaggregating results by student demographics and characteristics.
• Persistence is a longitudinal measure over six years and is defined as the percentage of first-time students in a Fall cohort who either earn a credential (degree/certificate) at AWC or remain enrolled at AWC or another college or university within six-years of entering AWC. This definition includes both credential attainment and continued enrollment as indicators of persistence and long-term student success.
• Completion is a longitudinal measure over three years and is defined as the percentage of first-time, full-time, degree/certificate seeking students in a Fall cohort who complete a credential (degree/certificate) at AWC within 150% of normal time (typically three years). This measure aligns with the graduation rate reported in the IPEDS Graduation Rate (GRS) survey.
• Transfer is a longitudinal measure over three years and is defined as the percentage of first-time, full-time, degree/certificate seeking students in a Fall cohort who transfer to another college or university, without first earning a credential (degree/certificate) at AWC within 150% of normal time (typically three years). This measure aligns with the transfer-out rate reported in the IPDS Graduation Rate (GRS) survey.

Note: “First-time” students are defined as those with no prior postsecondary enrollment (i.e., first time to higher education), not just first-time at AWC. This definition aligns with the federal reporting standards (IPEDS) and is used in cohort-based measures such as retention, persistence, completion, and transfer.

Questions?

For more information or to request custom data related to student achievement, please contact: IERG@azwestern.edu