The average graduation rate of South Carolina colleges is 45.60%. It means that 45.60% of students have completed their studies within 150% of program length.
For the bachelor's degree (BS) in 4-year South Carolina colleges, the average graduation rate is 46.97%, which means 46.97% of students earned BS degree in 6 years after enrolling first year.
In South Carolina 2-year institutions (i.e. community colleges), the average graduation rate is 29.33%.
For South Carolina colleges, Furman University has the highest graduation rate of 85.41% among 4-year colleges. For South Carolina community colleges, Southeastern College-Charleston has the highest graduation rate of 83.33%.
The following table compares graduation rates between South Carolina colleges. For 4-year colleges, the rates are based on the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, which typically requires 4 years of study. Therefore, 100% normal time means 4-year, 125% normal time means 5-years, and the 150% normal time means 6 years.
For community colleges (2-4 year schools) and trade schools, the completion time to measure graduation rates vary depending on the length of the program. For example, 150% normal time for 1-year certificate programs is 18 months and 3 years for 2-years associate degree.
| School | Graduation Rate (Completers) | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In 100% Normal Time | In 125% Normal Time | In 150% Normal Time | |||
| Aiken Technical CollegeCommunity College | 11.11% | - | 19.26% | 23% | 55% |
| Allen University4-Year College, private | - | 31.82% | 40.91% | - | - |
| Anderson University4-Year College, private | 57.93% | 59.88% | 60.33% | - | - |
| Charleston Southern University4-Year College, private | 34.03% | 41.46% | 43.70% | 40% | 70% |
| Technical College of the LowcountryCommunity College | 8.89% | - | 14.44% | 31% | 48% |
| Benedict College4-Year College, private | 12.98% | 18.47% | 19.80% | 32% | 65% |
| Bob Jones University4-Year College, private | 64.90% | 68.19% | 68.74% | 17% | 80% |
| Southern Wesleyan University4-Year College, private | 51.93% | 59.12% | 59.67% | 32% | 67% |
| Charleston Cosmetology InstituteTrade School | 51.22% | - | 70.73% | - | - |
| College of Charleston4-Year College, public | 56.74% | 63.29% | 64.66% | 26% | 80% |
| Charzanne Beauty CollegeTrade School | 56.82% | - | 68.18% | - | - |
| Northeastern Technical CollegeCommunity College | 19.05% | - | 25.71% | 29% | 49% |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina4-Year College, public | 64.06% | 69.14% | 70.37% | 16% | 84% |
| Claflin University4-Year College, private | 46.50% | 49.38% | 50.00% | 27% | 79% |
| Clemson University4-Year College, public | 65.52% | 83.33% | 85.32% | 9% | 92% |
| Clinton College4-Year College, private | 8.33% | - | 8.33% | - | - |
| Coker University4-Year College, private | 37.01% | 41.73% | 41.73% | 43% | 63% |
| Columbia International University4-Year College, private | 62.03% | 65.82% | 68.35% | 17% | 66% |
| Columbia College4-Year College, private | 47.95% | 53.42% | 55.48% | 32% | 55% |
| Converse University4-Year College, private | 51.52% | 56.71% | 57.14% | - | - |
| Denmark Technical CollegeCommunity College | 11.69% | - | 15.58% | 41% | 46% |
| Erskine College4-Year College, private | 41.06% | 46.38% | 46.38% | 4% | 63% |
| Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeCommunity College | 11.25% | - | 19.02% | 23% | 62% |
| Francis Marion University4-Year College, public | 20.85% | 35.67% | 39.23% | 42% | 65% |
| Furman University4-Year College, private | 78.31% | 85.01% | 85.41% | 12% | 88% |
| Greenville Technical College4-Year College, public | - | - | - | 20% | 0% |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeCommunity College | 19.82% | - | 26.50% | 18% | 63% |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North AugustaTrade School | 2.63% | - | 39.47% | 3% | 91% |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-ColumbiaTrade School | 21.43% | - | 21.43% | 7% | 80% |
| Lander University4-Year College, public | 30.76% | 42.43% | 44.90% | 32% | 66% |
| Limestone University4-Year College, private | 21.13% | 26.20% | 26.76% | 50% | 65% |
| Medical University of South Carolina4-Year College, public | - | - | - | - | - |
| Midlands Technical CollegeCommunity College | 8.52% | - | 15.16% | 30% | 47% |
| Morris College4-Year College, private | 11.47% | 21.10% | 23.85% | 34% | 40% |
| Newberry College4-Year College, private | 35.09% | 48.42% | 49.47% | - | - |
| North Greenville University4-Year College, private | 44.42% | 52.79% | 53.65% | - | - |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeCommunity College | 20.09% | - | 28.31% | 26% | 68% |
| Piedmont Technical CollegeCommunity College | 16.69% | - | 27.77% | 15% | 61% |
| Presbyterian College4-Year College, private | 52.61% | 58.19% | 59.58% | 29% | 68% |
| University of South Carolina Aiken4-Year College, public | 25.16% | 38.64% | 42.37% | 39% | 60% |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort4-Year College, public | 29.31% | 37.42% | 38.46% | 42% | 61% |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia4-Year College, public | 68.67% | 77.10% | 78.30% | 15% | 90% |
| University of South Carolina-LancasterCommunity College | 16.46% | - | 16.46% | 53% | 37% |
| University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieCommunity College | 23.61% | - | 23.61% | 43% | 42% |
| University of South Carolina-SumterCommunity College | 25.79% | - | 25.79% | 37% | 57% |
| University of South Carolina-UnionCommunity College | 30.77% | - | 30.77% | 40% | 52% |
| Coastal Carolina University4-Year College, public | 36.74% | 46.01% | 47.97% | 35% | 71% |
| South Carolina State University4-Year College, public | 18.24% | 30.46% | 34.36% | 26% | 68% |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate4-Year College, public | 29.64% | 40.84% | 43.21% | 38% | 64% |
| Spartanburg Methodist College4-Year College, private | - | - | - | 30% | 0% |
| Spartanburg Community CollegeCommunity College | 17.84% | - | 28.65% | 12% | 61% |
| Central Carolina Technical CollegeCommunity College | 13.58% | - | 21.81% | 19% | 61% |
| Tri-County Technical CollegeCommunity College | 29.65% | - | 34.54% | 34% | 55% |
| Trident Technical CollegeCommunity College | 16.54% | - | 23.82% | 17% | 60% |
| Voorhees University4-Year College, private | 32.67% | 36.00% | 36.00% | - | - |
| Williamsburg Technical CollegeCommunity College | 11.11% | - | 14.81% | 61% | 45% |
| Winthrop University4-Year College, public | 48.41% | 58.22% | 60.93% | 18% | 67% |
| Wofford College4-Year College, private | 80.00% | 81.82% | 82.50% | 15% | 89% |
| York Technical CollegeCommunity College | 19.53% | - | 30.97% | 17% | 62% |
| South University-Columbia4-Year College, private | - | 5.00% | 5.00% | 7% | 46% |
| Academy of Hair TechnologyTrade School | - | - | 66.67% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock HillTrade School | 13.95% | - | 53.49% | - | - |
| Strand College of Hair DesignTrade School | 53.73% | - | 70.15% | - | - |
| Miller-Motte College-CharlestonCommunity College | 40.45% | - | 50.19% | - | - |
| Southeastern College-CharlestonCommunity College | 83.33% | - | 83.33% | - | - |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology IncTrade School | - | - | 62.50% | - | - |
| Southeastern College-ColumbiaCommunity College | 58.82% | - | 58.82% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-SpartanburgTrade School | 9.52% | - | 54.76% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-ColumbiaTrade School | 14.71% | - | 67.65% | - | - |
| Charleston School of Law4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Academy for Careers and TechnologyTrade School | 57.14% | - | 57.14% | - | - |
| Strayer University-South Carolina4-Year College, private | 25.00% | - | 25.00% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-FlorenceTrade School | 23.68% | - | 65.79% | - | - |
| Fortis College-ColumbiaCommunity College | 15.66% | - | 31.33% | - | - |
| Miller-Motte College-ConwayCommunity College | 41.96% | - | 50.89% | - | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-ColumbiaTrade School | 3.23% | - | 48.39% | - | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-CharlestonTrade School | - | - | 50.00% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-GreenvilleTrade School | 2.63% | - | 60.53% | - | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-GreenvilleTrade School | 4.76% | - | 52.38% | - | - |
| ArclabsTrade School | 76.11% | - | 77.78% | 2% | 85% |
| Top of the Line Barber CollegeTrade School | - | - | 20.00% | - | - |
| Barber Tech AcademyTrade School | - | - | 50.00% | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose CreekTrade School | 18.18% | - | 81.82% | - | - |
| Strayer University-Columbia Campus4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Southeastern Esthetics InstituteTrade School | 17.31% | - | 84.62% | - | - |
| Strayer University-Charleston Campus4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| American College of the Building Arts4-Year College, private | 36.00% | 44.00% | 44.00% | 3% | 80% |
| Vski Cosmetology SchoolTrade School | 83.33% | - | 83.33% | - | - |
| ECPI University-Greenville4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| ECPI University-Charleston4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| ECPI University-Columbia4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Personal Touch Beauty and Barber CollegeTrade School | 80.00% | - | 80.00% | - | - |
| Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle BeachCommunity College | - | - | - | - | - |