Competency-based learning (CBL) is a grading strategy that emphasizes the mastery of content. At Middle Technical College (MTC), success rates in the college algebra class have decreased. This study will answer two questions: how will a CBL approach to learning affect student perceptions of their success and what are student perceptions of after taking the CBL courses versus what they think of as a traditionally graded classroom? This study's goal is to not only help increase success rates in the college algebra course at MTC, but to help students' math anxiety when entering and during the completion of the class. A convergent mixed method methodology was used to answer the research questions. The result will show that students in the MTC online college algebra course because of the implementation of CBL helped them increase their confidence, manage their time better, helped increase communication between instructor and student, and increased their overall understanding of the material. The results could inform other technical colleges on best practices for teaching math classes, help students entering a math course combat math anxiety, and bridge the gap between developmental coursework and students registering for a degree-level course.