by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Florence-Darlington Technical College first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Florence-Darlington Technical College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 58% students making it past their freshmen year, Florence-Darlington Technical College has freshmen retention rates below 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%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | 58% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
Of the 373 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 18% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 21% of the students had graduated and after eight years 22% 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 Florence-Darlington Technical College graduation rate 21%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 319 | 18% |
| Six Years | 373 | 21% |
| Eight Years | 20 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1411 | 78% |
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.
Approximately 1411 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1411 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
238 transferred to another institution.
Florence-Darlington Technical College lost contact with the remaining 1145 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 238 | 16.9% |
| Dropped Out | 1145 | 81.1% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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.
A meaningful share of students at Florence-Darlington Technical College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Florence-Darlington Technical College represent 44.97% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Florence-Darlington Technical College graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 25% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 19% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 23% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 47.82% |
613 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
176 transferred to another institution.
Florence-Darlington Technical College lost contact with the remaining 429 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.31% |
| Transferred | 176 | 28.71% |
| Dropped Out | 429 | 69.98% |
First-time / part-time students at Florence-Darlington Technical College represent 27.99% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Florence-Darlington Technical College graduation rate was 11%, and by the eight year mark, 11% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 23.72% |
446 first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
16 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
Florence-Darlington Technical College lost contact with the remaining 407 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 16 | 3.59% |
| Transferred | 23 | 5.16% |
| Dropped Out | 407 | 91.26% |
Returning / full-time students at Florence-Darlington Technical College represent 12.50% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Florence-Darlington Technical College graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 35% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 32% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
148 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
Florence-Darlington Technical College lost contact with the remaining 132 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.68% |
| Transferred | 15 | 10.14% |
| Dropped Out | 132 | 89.19% |
Returning / part-time students at Florence-Darlington Technical College represent 14.55% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Florence-Darlington Technical College graduation rate was 22%, and by the eight year mark, 22% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 22% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
204 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Florence-Darlington Technical College lost contact with the remaining 177 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.47% |
| Transferred | 24 | 11.76% |
| Dropped Out | 177 | 86.76% |
