Dual Enrollment: The Stories & Data Behind Student Success

Dual enrollment is a powerful tool that supports long-term success for many students. It allows eligible high school students to take college courses and earn secondary and transferable college credit at the same time.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker service used by secondary institutions and our Research Center’s reports, high school students who participate in dual enrollment courses are significantly more likely to earn a postsecondary degree.

Often offered at a reduced cost, these programs can accelerate a student’s path to a degree. Students save time and money and are introduced to college-level expectations earlier. High schools and colleges partner to build dual enrollment programs. College instructors often teach the courses on high school or college campuses or online.

StudentTracker offers outcomes for dual enrolled students, who are increasingly shaping the future of higher education. These insights, available to secondary education users of StudentTracker, show how dual enrollment can open doors for students to pursue higher education more effectively.

Case Study 1: United Way of Muscatine

For the United Way of Muscatine in Iowa, StudentTracker has become a powerful tool for exploring how dual enrollment and career-focused programs shape postsecondary success. One especially impactful moment came when a local superintendent asked the question: Why aren’t we using career academies to better support students who struggle in traditional high school settings?

Some students don’t thrive in a conventional classroom. However, they light up when learning hands-on skills in fields like automotive technology or welding. With StudentTracker data helping to surface these patterns, local leaders in Iowa began connecting the dots between dual enrollment, career academies, and long-term outcomes.

That insight sparked a meaningful collaboration between one high school and a local college. Together, they started exploring new pathways that allow students to pursue hands-on training while still in high school. Students earn credentials, build confidence, and gain momentum toward a career they genuinely care about.

By aligning dual enrollment with career-focused programs, the community is now helping students graduate with purpose and direction, ready to either enter the workforce or continue their education.

Case Study 2: Spartanburg Academic Movement

The Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) in South Carolina also used StudentTracker’s dual enrollment reporting to clearly demonstrate the value of early college access. In their county, the data told a compelling story: 98% of students who dual enrolled and earned grades above a C went on to successfully pursue higher education. SAM was clearly able to demonstrate the value of dual enrollment to the school systems in their district. This opened pathways for students to explore new avenues to access education. The result was a more targeted, equitable approach to student support.

What the Data Say about Outcomes for Dual Enrollment Students

At the national level, the success of dual enrollment students is becoming even clearer. Two recent reports from the Clearinghouse’s Research Center highlight outcomes of prior dual enrollment students.

One of the most striking findings from our Yearly Progress and Completion report is the strong outcomes for students with dual enrollment experience. These students significantly outperformed their peers without dual enrollment experience. Seventy-one percent of students with prior dual enrollment completed a credential within six years, compared to 57.2% of students without dual enrollment.

The data echoes a growing body of research showing how early exposure to college coursework can jump-start academic confidence, reduce time to degree, and improve long-term outcomes.

Our Tracking Transfer report also includes data on dual enrolled high school students who later entered community college. These data provide a deeper look at how prior academic experience can influence transfer success.

The report breaks down key metrics for students who were previously dual enrolled, including transfer-out, transfer-with-award, and bachelor’s completion rates. The findings are striking. Students who entered community college in fall 2017 with prior dual enrollment had a higher transfer-out rate (46.9%). They also achieved a higher bachelor’s completion rate (60.1%). Both outcomes exceeded those of first-time-ever-in-college students.

The report offers a clearer, more nuanced view of the transfer journey, especially for students who began that journey while still in high school. By incorporating new demographic data and post-transfer outcomes, the report helps educators, policymakers, and communities better understand how different pathways support student success.

“Dual enrollment remains one of the strongest predictors of long-term student success,” shared Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse. “At their best, these early college experiences do more than open doors. They equip students with the confidence, resilience, and momentum they need to pursue and achieve their academic goals.”

The latest insights from the Clearinghouse, along with case studies from organizations using StudentTracker, highlight how college preparatory experiences, like dual enrollment, can shape student outcomes long after high school graduation. By examining these diverse pathways, schools and community partners can gain a clearer understanding of long-term results. This enables them to make data‑informed decisions that more effectively support student success.

“Dual enrollment remains one of the strongest predictors of long-term student success. At their best, these early college experiences do more than open doors. They equip students with the confidence, resilience, and momentum they need to pursue and achieve their academic goals.”

Matthew Holsapple
Senior Director of Research, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center