Academic Affairs

Office of the Provost

Student achievement

Student success is a top priority at VCU, as evidenced by the university's strategic plan, Quest 2028. Uniquely, the plan outlines VCU's commitment to provide an exceptional academic experience for its students through a combination of academic rigor AND access to higher education for traditionally underserved groups.

To that end, VCU has established a range of student achievement metrics, with targets for its undergraduate, graduate and professional students. These metrics provide the university and the general public with evidence of VCU's progress towards its strategic goals.

The goals displayed in the tables below represent the targets set for 2028 by the university's current strategic priorities. For additional data around Quest 2028's strategic goals, visit VCU's metrics dashboard.

Student achievement goal: undergraduate retention

Theme I of the university's strategic plan outlines goals for student success tied to retention and graduation rates. The table below demonstrates the university's progress toward these retention targets in recent years.

Fall cohort One year retention Two year retention Three year retention
2011 85% 75% 70%
2012 87% 78% 73%
2013 87% 77% 72%
2014 86% 76% 70%
2015 86% 77% 71%
2016 83% 74% 66%
2017 85% 75% 68%
2018 83% 73% 66%
2019 83% 75% 66%
2020 84% 74% 67%
2021 85% 75% 67%
2022 86% 76% ---
  2025 target: 90% 2025 target: 84% 2025 target: 80%

Disaggregated data
In addition to the overall retention rate, VCU also tracks disaggregated data for underrepresented minorities, Pell grant recipients and first-generation students, with the goal of eliminating any achievement gaps among these student populations. To see the respective data for these student populations, please expand the header below:

Student achievement goal: undergraduate graduation goals

The university is committed to improving graduation rates overall as well as eliminating equity gaps in graduation experienced by demographic groups. The table below demonstrates the university's progress toward improving the graduation rates for first-time freshmen, Pell grant recipients, underrepresented minorities, and transfer students.

Fall cohort Freshman six-year graduation rates Freshmen Pell recipients six-year graduation rates Freshmen URM six-year graduation rates Transfer student four-year graduation rate
2008 59% 60% 57% 59%
2009 62% 59% 61% 56%
2010 62% 56% 58% 57%
2011 63% 60% 60% 62%
2012 67% 63% 63% 63%
2013 68% 63% 64% 63%
2014 67% 62% 63% 63%
2015 68% 63% 63% 68%
2016 65% 61% 61% 66%
2017 66% 61% 63% 68%
2018 63% 59% 61% 67%
2019 --- --- --- 70%
2020 --- --- --- 69%
  2025 target: 78% 2025 target: 77% 2025 target: 78% 2025 target: 72%

Graduate student achievement

Theme II, Goal 2 of VCU's Quest 2025 strategic plan strives to achieve academic distinction internationally by, among other strategies, "growing areas of strength as researchers, innovators and educators." One strategy toward this goal entails growing doctoral enrollment and degree production.

To that end, the table below indicates VCU's progress in recent years.

Degree year Fall enrollment - Doctoral students Doctoral degree production
2014-15 1,370 282
2015-16 1,427 306
2016-17 1,491 306
2017-18 1,576 326
2018-19 1,640 353
2019-20 1,731 374
2020-21 1,741 370
2021-22 1,784 374
2022-23 1,846 400
2023-24 1,911 434
  2025 target: 1,725 2025 target: 355

Professional programs: Student achievement

VCU's first professional programs often use licensure exam pass rates as an indicator of student achievement. To see data on these programs' recent cohorts, please select a unit below: