Francis Marion University Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Francis Marion University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Make an informed decision about your education by understanding Francis Marion University retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.

• Francis Marion University Retention Rate
• Francis Marion University Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Francis Marion University Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Francis Marion University Retention Rate

Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.

With 68% students making it past their freshmen year, Francis Marion University has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in South Carolina, the average is 65.91%.

Francis Marion University Graduation Rates

There were approximately 789 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 59% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 72% of the students had graduated and after eight years 72% of this class completed their degree.

Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Francis Marion University graduation rate 72%.

How long does it take to get a bachelor's degree at Francis Marion University? The standard length of time for most students is 4.68 years.

Francis Marion University Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Francis Marion University Drop Out Rate

Approximately 306 students or 28% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 306 students who did not complete their degree?

• 3 are still enrolled.

• 51 transferred to another institution.

• Francis Marion University lost contact with the remaining 251 who we assumed dropped out.

Francis Marion University Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.

Traditional Students:

First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.

Non-Traditional Students:

Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.

The majority of students at Francis Marion University are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.

First-Time / Full-Time Francis Marion University Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Francis Marion University represent 68% of the students in the class of 2015, and 55.77% of Francis Marion University bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 59%, first-time students in the Francis Marion University class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the Francis Marion University graduation rate was 59%, and by the eight year mark, 59% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Francis Marion University First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Francis Marion University Drop Out Rates

306 first-time / full-time students or 41% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 3 are still enrolled.

• 51 transferred to another institution.

• Francis Marion University lost contact with the remaining 251 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Francis Marion University represent 0.37% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 100%, first-time, part-time students in the Francis Marion University class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.

First-Time / Part-Time Francis Marion University Graduation Rates vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

304 Francis Marion University students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 27.76% of the students in the class of 2015.

Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.

With a six year graduation rate of 100%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Francis Marion University Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Francis Marion University Drop Out Rates

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Francis Marion University returning, full-time students.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

41 Francis Marion University students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 3.74% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 100%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 100%.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.

Francis Marion University Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• Image Credit: By Lfalck under License