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%.

Graduation Rate By School Level and Completion Time for South Carolina Colleges

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.

Graduation Rate Comparison between South Carolina Colleges
SchoolGraduation Rate
(Completers)
Transfer-out RateRetention Rate
In 100% Normal TimeIn 125% Normal TimeIn 150% Normal Time
Aiken Technical CollegeCommunity College11.11%-19.26%23%55%
Allen University4-Year College, private-31.82%40.91%--
Anderson University4-Year College, private57.93%59.88%60.33%--
Charleston Southern University4-Year College, private34.03%41.46%43.70%40%70%
Technical College of the LowcountryCommunity College8.89%-14.44%31%48%
Benedict College4-Year College, private12.98%18.47%19.80%32%65%
Bob Jones University4-Year College, private64.90%68.19%68.74%17%80%
Southern Wesleyan University4-Year College, private51.93%59.12%59.67%32%67%
Charleston Cosmetology InstituteTrade School51.22%-70.73%--
College of Charleston4-Year College, public56.74%63.29%64.66%26%80%
Charzanne Beauty CollegeTrade School56.82%-68.18%--
Northeastern Technical CollegeCommunity College19.05%-25.71%29%49%
Citadel Military College of South Carolina4-Year College, public64.06%69.14%70.37%16%84%
Claflin University4-Year College, private46.50%49.38%50.00%27%79%
Clemson University4-Year College, public65.52%83.33%85.32%9%92%
Clinton College4-Year College, private8.33%-8.33%--
Coker University4-Year College, private37.01%41.73%41.73%43%63%
Columbia International University4-Year College, private62.03%65.82%68.35%17%66%
Columbia College4-Year College, private47.95%53.42%55.48%32%55%
Converse University4-Year College, private51.52%56.71%57.14%--
Denmark Technical CollegeCommunity College11.69%-15.58%41%46%
Erskine College4-Year College, private41.06%46.38%46.38%4%63%
Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeCommunity College11.25%-19.02%23%62%
Francis Marion University4-Year College, public20.85%35.67%39.23%42%65%
Furman University4-Year College, private78.31%85.01%85.41%12%88%
Greenville Technical College4-Year College, public---20%0%
Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeCommunity College19.82%-26.50%18%63%
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North AugustaTrade School2.63%-39.47%3%91%
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-ColumbiaTrade School21.43%-21.43%7%80%
Lander University4-Year College, public30.76%42.43%44.90%32%66%
Limestone University4-Year College, private21.13%26.20%26.76%50%65%
Medical University of South Carolina4-Year College, public-----
Midlands Technical CollegeCommunity College8.52%-15.16%30%47%
Morris College4-Year College, private11.47%21.10%23.85%34%40%
Newberry College4-Year College, private35.09%48.42%49.47%--
North Greenville University4-Year College, private44.42%52.79%53.65%--
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeCommunity College20.09%-28.31%26%68%
Piedmont Technical CollegeCommunity College16.69%-27.77%15%61%
Presbyterian College4-Year College, private52.61%58.19%59.58%29%68%
University of South Carolina Aiken4-Year College, public25.16%38.64%42.37%39%60%
University of South Carolina Beaufort4-Year College, public29.31%37.42%38.46%42%61%
University of South Carolina-Columbia4-Year College, public68.67%77.10%78.30%15%90%
University of South Carolina-LancasterCommunity College16.46%-16.46%53%37%
University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieCommunity College23.61%-23.61%43%42%
University of South Carolina-SumterCommunity College25.79%-25.79%37%57%
University of South Carolina-UnionCommunity College30.77%-30.77%40%52%
Coastal Carolina University4-Year College, public36.74%46.01%47.97%35%71%
South Carolina State University4-Year College, public18.24%30.46%34.36%26%68%
University of South Carolina-Upstate4-Year College, public29.64%40.84%43.21%38%64%
Spartanburg Methodist College4-Year College, private---30%0%
Spartanburg Community CollegeCommunity College17.84%-28.65%12%61%
Central Carolina Technical CollegeCommunity College13.58%-21.81%19%61%
Tri-County Technical CollegeCommunity College29.65%-34.54%34%55%
Trident Technical CollegeCommunity College16.54%-23.82%17%60%
Voorhees University4-Year College, private32.67%36.00%36.00%--
Williamsburg Technical CollegeCommunity College11.11%-14.81%61%45%
Winthrop University4-Year College, public48.41%58.22%60.93%18%67%
Wofford College4-Year College, private80.00%81.82%82.50%15%89%
York Technical CollegeCommunity College19.53%-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 School13.95%-53.49%--
Strand College of Hair DesignTrade School53.73%-70.15%--
Miller-Motte College-CharlestonCommunity College40.45%-50.19%--
Southeastern College-CharlestonCommunity College83.33%-83.33%--
LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology IncTrade School--62.50%--
Southeastern College-ColumbiaCommunity College58.82%-58.82%--
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-SpartanburgTrade School9.52%-54.76%--
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-ColumbiaTrade School14.71%-67.65%--
Charleston School of Law4-Year College, private-----
Academy for Careers and TechnologyTrade School57.14%-57.14%--
Strayer University-South Carolina4-Year College, private25.00%-25.00%--
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-FlorenceTrade School23.68%-65.79%--
Fortis College-ColumbiaCommunity College15.66%-31.33%--
Miller-Motte College-ConwayCommunity College41.96%-50.89%--
Paul Mitchell the School-ColumbiaTrade School3.23%-48.39%--
Paul Mitchell the School-CharlestonTrade School--50.00%--
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-GreenvilleTrade School2.63%-60.53%--
Paul Mitchell the School-GreenvilleTrade School4.76%-52.38%--
ArclabsTrade School76.11%-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 School18.18%-81.82%--
Strayer University-Columbia Campus4-Year College, private-----
Southeastern Esthetics InstituteTrade School17.31%-84.62%--
Strayer University-Charleston Campus4-Year College, private-----
American College of the Building Arts4-Year College, private36.00%44.00%44.00%3%80%
Vski Cosmetology SchoolTrade School83.33%-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 School80.00%-80.00%--
Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle BeachCommunity College-----