UNC-Chapel Hill Student Achievement Metrics

UNC-Chapel Hill sets goals and measures student achievement in alignment with the priorities outlined in the UNC System’s Strategic Plan, our own Carolina Next Strategic Plan, and our institutional mission for teaching, research, and public service to North Carolina and beyond.

Key Completion Indicator: IPEDS Four-, Five-, and Six-Year Graduation Rates

UNC-Chapel Hill set goals to increase four-year, five-year, and six-year graduation rates for all first-time/full-time students by five percentage points over the 2012 cohort rates to 87.4%, 93.2%, and 94.3%, respectively, by 2022-23. The University also established goals to increase four-, five-, and six-year graduation rates for underrepresented minority, low-income, first-generation college students, and males by five percentage points over the 2012 cohort levels.

UNC System Strategic Plan Achievement Metrics

As part of the UNC System’s Strategic Plan, Higher Expectations (2017-2022), UNC-Chapel Hill formally committed to a set of five-year goals, to be monitored annually. These goals and the baseline values which serve as thresholds are described below. Our annual progress toward the five-year target for each metric to date can be viewed in the links below. More information on the actions UNC-Chapel Hill is taking to promote student achievement related to these goals is provided on the UNC System website.

Rural enrollments:
By fall 2021, UNC-CH will enroll 4,140 rural students, a 5.0% increase over 2016 levels (198 additional rural students over a base of 3,942).

Low-income enrollments:
By fall 2021, UNC-CH will enroll 3,508 low-income students, a 4.2% increase over 2015 levels (140 additional low-income students over a base of 3,368).

Rural completions:
By 2021-22, UNC-CH will produce 1,108 rural graduates, an increase of 9.4% (95 additional rural completions over a base of 1,013).

Low-income completions:
By 2021-22, UNC-CH will produce 1,223 low-income graduates, an increase of 14.4% (155 additional low-income completions over a base of 1,078).

Critical workforces:
By 2021-22, UNC-CH will produce 3,769 critical workforce credentials, an increase of 11.9% (400 additional critical workforce credentials over a base of 3,369).

Five-year graduation rates:
By 2022, UNC-CH will improve its five-year graduation rate from any accredited institution to 94.0%. This is an improvement over a base of 91.7% for UNC-CH’s 2010 cohort.

Undergraduate degree efficiency:
By 2021-22, UNC-CH will improve its undergraduate degree efficiency to 25.7 over a base of 24.6.

Achievement gaps in undergraduate degree efficiency:
By 2021-22, UNC-CH will reduce by 50% the achievement gap in undergraduate degree efficiency among male students.

Professional Test Scores

UNC-Chapel Hill professional schools also set achievement goals and monitor the performance of students in medicine, dentistry, law, and other programs that lead to licensure. More information on those goals and outcomes may be viewed here.