by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many USC Union 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 Union. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 64% students making it past their freshmen year, USC Union 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 | |
|---|---|
| USC Union | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
There were approximately 37 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 26% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 27% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% 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 Union graduation rate 27%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36 | 26% |
| Six Years | 37 | 27% |
| Eight Years | 1 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 98 | 72% |
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 98 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 98 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
68 transferred to another institution.
USC Union lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 68 | 69.4% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 30.6% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 Union are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at University of South Carolina-Union represent 80.15% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USC Union graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | USC Union | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 25% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
81 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
58 transferred to another institution.
USC Union lost contact with the remaining 23 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 58 | 71.60% |
| Dropped Out | 23 | 28.40% |
First-time / part-time students at University of South Carolina-Union represent 4.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USC Union graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | USC Union | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
5 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
USC Union lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 20.00% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 80.00% |
Returning / full-time students at University of South Carolina-Union represent 11.03% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USC Union graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | USC Union | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 40% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 55.07% |
9 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
USC Union lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 6 | 66.67% |
| Dropped Out | 3 | 33.33% |
Returning / part-time students at University of South Carolina-Union represent 4.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the USC Union graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | USC Union | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 50% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 37.80% |
3 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
USC Union lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 3 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
