LINN — State Tech set yet another record with the equivalent of 2,422 full-time students, up 4% over the previous year. At the same time, the college saw an 88% retention rate and an 84% graduation rate, best in the country.

Students combined for a record-breaking 36,323 credit hours, also the highest total ever recorded by the college.

“We have seen the pendulum swing with students and counselors figuring out you can go to State Tech on the A+ Scholarship, finish in two years, then make more money than they can with a four-year degree,” said State Tech President Dr. Shawn Strong. “With two people going into the trades for every five that come out, the demand and salaries for students with a technical degree will only grow. Technology can’t replace the careers we prepare State Tech graduates to go into. I like the position we are in, and look forward to continuing to grow and meet Missouri’s workforce needs as the Employers’ Choice.”

State Tech is the fastest-growing college in Missouri and holds the highest graduation rate in the country, combined with a 99% job-placement rate.

“Our goal has always been to prepare students for great careers,” said Dr. Strong. “These numbers reflect the success of that mission and the trust employers place in a State Tech graduate.”

With expanding facilities, including the new Heavy Equipment Operations & Management Lab, the brand-new Building Technology Center, the nearly completed Willett Automation Center, and construction progress on the new home for Agriculture Operations, State Tech continues to build on its enrollment momentum, ensuring students have access to some of the best labs in the entire country.

The enrollment record comes on the heels of State Tech being ranked the #1 two-year college in the country for five of the last six years by WalletHub, when compared to nearly 800 other two-year colleges.