by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many USCB 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 USCB. 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 61% students making it past their freshmen year, USCB 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 | |
|---|---|
| USCB | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
Of the 362 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 36% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 43% of the students had graduated and after eight years 44% 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 USCB graduation rate 43%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 300 | 36% |
| Six Years | 362 | 43% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 471 | 56% |
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 471 students or 56% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 471 students who did not complete their degree?
4 are still enrolled.
320 transferred to another institution.
USCB lost contact with the remaining 146 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.8% |
| Transferred | 320 | 67.9% |
| Dropped Out | 146 | 31.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Asian | 50% |
| Black / African-American | 38% |
| Hispanic | 47% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 17% |
| White | 40% |
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.
The majority of students at USCB are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at University of South Carolina Beaufort represent 61.00% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USCB graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | USCB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 37% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
319 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
226 transferred to another institution.
USCB lost contact with the remaining 89 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.25% |
| Transferred | 226 | 70.85% |
| Dropped Out | 89 | 27.90% |
First-time / part-time students at University of South Carolina Beaufort represent 0.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USCB graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | USCB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 33% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 23.72% |
4 first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
USCB lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 3 | 75.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 25.00% |
Returning / full-time students at University of South Carolina Beaufort represent 29.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USCB graduation rate was 55%, 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 | USCB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
111 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
65 transferred to another institution.
USCB lost contact with the remaining 45 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.90% |
| Transferred | 65 | 58.56% |
| Dropped Out | 45 | 40.54% |
Returning / part-time students at University of South Carolina Beaufort represent 8.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USCB graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 48% 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 | USCB | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 42% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 46% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 48% | 37.80% |
37 non first-time / part-time students or 52% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
26 transferred to another institution.
USCB lost contact with the remaining 11 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 26 | 70.27% |
| Dropped Out | 11 | 29.73% |
