by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Limestone College 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Limestone 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 | |
|---|---|
| Limestone College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
Of the 406 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 37% of the students had graduated and after eight years 39% 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 Limestone College graduation rate 37%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 320 | 29% |
| Six Years | 406 | 37% |
| Eight Years | 20 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 664 | 61% |
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 664 students or 61% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 664 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
349 transferred to another institution.
Limestone College lost contact with the remaining 300 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 349 | 52.6% |
| Dropped Out | 300 | 45.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 24% |
| Hispanic | 19% |
| International | 42% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 18% |
| White | 31% |
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 Limestone College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Limestone University represent 38.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Limestone College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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 | Limestone College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 29% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
292 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
200 transferred to another institution.
Limestone College lost contact with the remaining 92 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 200 | 68.49% |
| Dropped Out | 92 | 31.51% |
First-time / part-time students at Limestone University represent 4.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Limestone College graduation rate was 2%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | Limestone College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 2% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
46 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
14 transferred to another institution.
Limestone College lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 14 | 30.43% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 69.57% |
Returning / full-time students at Limestone University represent 36.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Limestone College graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | Limestone College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
174 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
64 transferred to another institution.
Limestone College lost contact with the remaining 103 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 4.02% |
| Transferred | 64 | 36.78% |
| Dropped Out | 103 | 59.20% |
Returning / part-time students at Limestone University represent 20.60% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Limestone College graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Limestone College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
152 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
Limestone College lost contact with the remaining 73 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 5.26% |
| Transferred | 71 | 46.71% |
| Dropped Out | 73 | 48.03% |
