Awards and Rankings
ÐÓ°É has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading institutes of higher education by several prestigious publications and surveys.
Below are some of the latest ÐÓ°É rankings:
Recognized by the Aspen Institute for the 5th time since 2013, ÐÓ°É was named a semifinalist in 2025.
ÐÓ°É is named one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute.
In September 2022, U.S. News & World Report named ÐÓ°É number one in Least Debt Acquired by Students in Southern Regional Colleges.
WORKFORCE CERTIFICATIONS
ÐÓ°É ranked second in the state for the number of CAPE Funded Industry Certifications in 2024, with 1,333 industry certifications reported. The CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List is a part of the state colleges’ incentive funding to strengthen connections between education programs and workforce needs.
LEADERS IN PUBLIC SAFETY
In 2021, ÐÓ°É graduates of the Corrections Officer Academy who sat for the State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE) received a 94 percent pass rate on their first attempt. Graduates of the Police Academy who sat the SOCE achieved a 96 percent pass rate on their first attempt. Between February 2021 and February 2022, 289 police cadets successfully passed the SOCE. This was the most out of the 41 academies in the state and resulted in the College being ranked number one in the state among academies with more than 150 cadets taking the SOCE.
NCLEX PASS RATE
ÐÓ°É nurses consistently pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) at a higher rate than graduates from similar institutions. In 2023, ÐÓ°É had an 83.8% pass rate compared to the state pass rate of 80.7%.