USC Lancaster Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

University of South Carolina-Lancaster 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many USC Lancaster 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 USC Lancaster. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.

• USC Lancaster Retention Rate
• USC Lancaster 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
• USC Lancaster Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

USC Lancaster Retention Rate

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

With 43% students making it past their freshmen year, USC Lancaster 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%.

USC Lancaster Graduation Rates

Of the 115 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?

Four years after beginning their degree, 24% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 26% of the students had graduated and after eight years 26% 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 USC Lancaster graduation rate 26%.

USC Lancaster Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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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USC Lancaster Drop Out Rate

Approximately 333 students or 74% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 333 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 210 transferred to another institution.

• USC Lancaster lost contact with the remaining 123 who we assumed dropped out.

USC Lancaster Graduation Rates by Race/EthnicityAt this time we lack graduation rate by race information for University of South Carolina-Lancaster.

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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

Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.

First-Time / Full-Time USC Lancaster Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at University of South Carolina-Lancaster represent 65.70% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the USC Lancaster graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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.

USC Lancaster First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time USC Lancaster Drop Out Rates

227 first-time / full-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 141 transferred to another institution.

• USC Lancaster lost contact with the remaining 86 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at University of South Carolina-Lancaster represent 2.00% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the USC Lancaster graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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.

First-Time / Part-Time USC Lancaster Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time USC Lancaster Drop Out Rates

5 first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 3 transferred to another institution.

• USC Lancaster lost contact with the remaining 2 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at University of South Carolina-Lancaster represent 22.27% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the USC Lancaster graduation rate was 30%, and by the eight year mark, 30% 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.

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

Non First-Time / Full-Time USC Lancaster Drop Out Rates

70 non first-time / part-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 48 transferred to another institution.

• USC Lancaster lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Returning / part-time students at University of South Carolina-Lancaster represent 10.02% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the USC Lancaster graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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.

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

Non First-Time / Part-Time USC Lancaster Drop Out Rates

31 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 18 transferred to another institution.

• USC Lancaster lost contact with the remaining 13 who we assumed dropped out.

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