App State’s performance metrics for 2022–27 reflect the university’s commitment to increase access to a high-quality, cost-effective App State education.

The university's performance metrics align with the UNC System Strategic Plan, and emphasize undergraduate student success, affordability, university productivity, and the campus-selected goal of making progress on a 4-year graduation rate equity gap.

For each of the core metrics, there is:

• a baseline, which is derived from App State’s historical performance in the area;
• a threshold goal, which is the university’s minimum expected performance; and
• a stretch goal, which is the level of performance App State strives toward.

A baseline and stretch goals are presented for App State’s institution-selected metric.

App State's funding allocations are tied to success in these areas. The performance weighting is based on how actual performance compares to its baseline and stretch goals.

Read on to learn more about App State’s progress in and goals for these areas.

Core Metrics

Four-year Graduation Rate

Timely degree completion — within four years — helps to limit student debt and lowers the opportunity cost of remaining in school for additional semesters, according to the UNC System.

App State has surpassed its 2022 threshold goal of 62.9% for this metric — the institutional four-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students. The four-year graduation rate for this App State population (2018 cohort) is 63.14%

App State’s 2022 stretch goal for this metric is 65.07% and the 2023 stretch goal is 66.56%.

Baseline is derived from App State’s historical performance.

Undergraduate Degree Efficiency

Undergraduate degree efficiency — qdefined as the number of undergraduate degrees awarded by an institution per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduates — is a more holistic measure of student success than graduation rate, according to the UNC System. This metric captures the success of students beyond first-time, full-time, first-year students and includes those who transfer to a System school and complete a degree.

App State did not meet its 2022 threshold goal of 24.03 students for this metric, which is in part due to the university’s growth, coupled with the effects of the global pandemic.

App State’s 2022 stretch goal for this metric is 24.69 students and the 2023 stretch goal is 25.14 students.

Baseline is derived from App State’s historical performance.

First-time Student Debt at Graduation

At App State, minimizing student debt starts with a college education that provides great value at an affordable cost. The university aims to reduce the debt that first-time students incur upon graduating and has surpassed its 2022 stretch goal of $11,041 for this metric.

In 2022, each first-time App State student graduated with an average debt of $10,369, which is 12.31% below the 2020 baseline of $12,133 (inflation-adjusted). The university’s 2023 stretch goal for this metric is $10,495.

The student debt goals under this metric acknowledge the potential for inflation-driven increases in components of costs of attendance — such as food, housing and transportation — that could drive growth in student borrowing over the course of 2022–27. Therefore, the goal is to limit increases in the average cumulative federal student loan debt for first-time, first-year students to the rate of inflation each year, with a “stretch” aim of outperforming inflation by reducing average cumulative federal student loan debt at graduation by 13.5% after accounting for inflation.

Baseline is an average of prior years and is adjusted for inflation. Debt stretch goals calculated using these formulas: baseline - (9% x baseline) for 2022 goal; baseline - (13.5% x baseline) for 2023 goal.

Transfer Student Debt at Graduation

At App State, minimizing student debt starts with a college education that provides great value at an affordable cost. The university aims to reduce the debt that transfer students incur upon graduating and has surpassed its 2023 stretch goal of $9,744 for this metric.

In 2022, each transfer student graduated from App State with an average debt of $9,277, which is 17.65% below the 2020 baseline of $11,265 (inflation-adjusted).

The student debt goals under this metric acknowledge the potential for inflation-driven increases in components of costs of attendance — such as food, housing and transportation — that could drive growth in student borrowing over the course of 2022–27. Therefore, the goal is to limit increases in the average cumulative federal student loan debt for transfer students to the rate of inflation each year, with a “stretch” aim of outperforming inflation by reducing average cumulative federal student loan debt at graduation by 13.5% after accounting for inflation.

Baseline is an average of prior years and is adjusted for inflation. Debt stretch goals were calculated using these formulas: baseline - (9% x baseline) for 2022 goal; baseline - (13.5% x baseline) for 2023 goal.

Education and Related Expenses per Degree

The Education and Related Expenses per Degree metric measures the productivity of educational spending. The UNC System and its constituent institutions can increase productivity by containing costs and by making investments that maximize both students’ persistence to continue in their students and timely degree completion, leading to increased numbers of graduates.

App State has surpassed its 2022 threshold goal of $52,713 (inflation-adjusted dollars) for this metric. Currently, the cost of an App State education and related expenses, per degree, stands at $47,899.

App State’s 2022 stretch goal for this metric is $47,568, or 9.76% below the baseline of $52,713, and the 2023 stretch goal is $45,186 — 14.28% below the baseline.

Baseline is an average of prior years and is adjusted for inflation. Stretch goals were calculated using these formulas: baseline - (9.76% x baseline) for 2022 goal; baseline - (14.28% x baseline) for 2023 goal.

Institution-selected Metric

Four-year Graduation Rate – Hispanic/Latine

According to the UNC System, student success rates have increased across the System’s demographic groups — however, gaps remain. App State’s campus-based goal to increase the four-year graduation rate for Hispanic/Latine students allows the university to intensify its collective focus on serving one of the fastest-growing segments of the population — not only at App State, but also within North Carolina and the nation.

This metric, which App State chose from a list of options for institution-selected metrics, is also aligned with App State’s 2022–27 Strategic Plan — specifically the strategic priority of Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

App State has surpassed its 2023 stretch goal of 55.20% for this metric. The university’s four-year graduation rate for Hispanic/Latine students (2018 cohort) is 60.57%.

Baseline is derived from App State’s historical performance.