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CSU Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

23% 4-Year Graduation Rate
37% 6-Year Graduation Rate
70% Retention Rate

Charleston Southern University 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Are students coming back to CSU after their first year? Are CSU students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.

CSU Retention Rate

70% Freshmen Retention Rate
Below Average Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 70% students making it past their freshmen year, CSU 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%.

CSU Retention  70 out of 100
0%
100%
South Carolina Retention  66 out of 100
0%
100%
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Retention Rate
CSU70%
Nationwide70.57%
South Carolina65.91%
Low retention rates may be a signal that a lot of students plan on transferring after a year or two. Is that the case here?

CSU Graduation Rates

37% 6-Year Graduation Rate
43.65% Transfer Rate
17.35% Dropout Rate

How many of the estimated 457 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

Four years after beginning their degree, 23% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 37% of the students had graduated and after eight years 38% 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 CSU graduation rate 37%.

The average CSU student takes 4.37 years to graduate with their bachelors.

Four Year Graduation Rate  28%
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  37%
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  38%
0%
100%

CSU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Completion WithinUndergraduatesPercentage
Four Years34128%
Six Years45737%
Eight Years131%
Did Not Complete75162%
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
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CSU Drop Out Rate

Approximately 751 students or 62% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 751 students who did not complete their degree?

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Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled50.7%
Transferred53671.4%
Dropped Out21328.4%

CSU Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

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Race/EthnicityGraduation Rate
American Indian or Alaskan Native100%
Asian67%
Black / African-American35%
Hawaiian100%
Hispanic33%
International100%
Multi-Ethnic25%
Unknown33%
White49%

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.

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 CSU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?

First-Time / Full-Time CSU Graduation Rates

59% First-Time, Full-Time
35% 6-Year Grad Rate
Low Grad Rate

First-time / full-time students at Charleston Southern University represent 59% of the students in the class of 2015, and 54.92% of CSU bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 23%, first-time students in the CSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the CSU graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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.

Four Year Graduation Rate  23 out of 100
0%
100%
Six Year Graduation Rate  35 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  36 out of 100
0%
100%

CSU First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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First-Time / Full-Time CompletionsCSUNationwide
Four Years23%37.92%
Six Years35%46.43%
Eight Years36%47.82%

First-Time / Full-Time CSU Drop Out Rates

458 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Full-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled51.09%
Transferred37281.22%
Dropped Out8518.56%

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

1% First-Time, Part-Time

First-time / part-time students at Charleston Southern University represent 1.30% of the students in the class of 2015.

First-Time / Part-Time CSU Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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First-Time / Part-Time CompletionsCSUNationwide
Four Years1%14.37%
Six Years1%21.59%
Eight Years1%23.72%

First-Time / Part-Time CSU Drop Out Rates

16 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred743.75%
Dropped Out956.25%

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

29% Returning, Full-Time
46% 6-Year Grad Rate
Average Grad Rate

357 CSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 29.07% 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 46%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 47%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  46 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  47 out of 100
0%
100%

CSU Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Full-Time CompletionsCSUNationwide
Four Years0%49.57%
Six Years46%53.83%
Eight Years47%55.07%

Non First-Time / Full-Time CSU Drop Out Rates

190 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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First-Time / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled10.53%
Transferred10655.79%
Dropped Out8343.68%

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

11% Returning, Part-Time
31% 6-Year Grad Rate
Good Grad Rate

129 CSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.50% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six year graduation rate of 31%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 33%.

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.

Six Year Graduation Rate  31 out of 100
0%
100%
Eight Year Graduation Rate  33 out of 100
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100%

CSU Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

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Returning / Part-Time CompletionsCSUNationwide
Four Years0%30.46%
Six Years31%36.03%
Eight Years33%37.80%

Non First-Time / Part-Time CSU Drop Out Rates

87 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

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Returning / Part-Time Non-CompletionsUndergraduatesPercentage
Still Enrolled00.00%
Transferred5158.62%
Dropped Out3641.38%

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