TCC recognized as a top associate degree producer

Tidewater Community College is a top producer of associate degrees nationally, ranking 14th among all two-year community colleges in the United States.

The 2014 list of Top 100 Associate Degree Producers, compiled by Community College Week in its August 20 edition, ranks more than 1,100 community colleges in a variety of categories for the 2012-13 academic year.

“Student success continues to be our No. 1 priority at Tidewater Community College, where we strive to provide affordable, innovative and high-quality education to all,” said President Edna Baehre-Kolovani. “When students achieve their goals at TCC, they, in turn, contribute to the vitality of the Hampton Roads economy. It is a win-win.”

TCC awarded 3,075 associate degrees to students in all disciplines for the 2012-13 academic year, representing a 5 percent increase from the previous year. When four-year institutions that award associate degrees are included, TCC ranks 23rd nationally.

TCC ranks fifth among community colleges for the number of African-American students earning associate degrees, with 823 graduates. When four-year institutions are included, TCC is 11th in that category, an improvement from No. 18 the previous year.

TCC also finished among the top 100 in awarding associate degrees to all minorities (23rd among two-year schools, 33rd among all schools) and in awarding one-year certificates (83rd and 86th, respectively).

TCC is ranked in the top 50 for awarding associate degrees in the following disciplines:

Business, management, marketing and related support services (6th among two-year institutions and 15th among all institutions);
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (6th and 8th, respectively);
Family and consumer sciences/human science (14th and 18th, respectively);
Engineering technologies and engineering-related fields (18th and 33rd, respectively);
Criminal justice and corrections (25th and 40th, respectively).

Community College Week, one of several national publications covering higher education, compiles the rankings annually. Data is collected through the National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Set survey.