2025 South Carolina Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2023-2024, the average graduation rate at South Carolina colleges is 49.6%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 23.4% and the average retention rate is 71.0% (full-time students).
South Carolina College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- Clemson University has the highest graduation rate of 87% and Allen University has the lowest graduation rate of 13% and .
- Coker University has the highest transfer-out rate of 51% and Limestone University has the lowest transfer-out rate of 1% and .
- Strayer University-South Carolina has the highest retention rate of 100% and Allen University has the lowest retention rate of 45% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between South Carolina Colleges
The following table lists South Carolina colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken Technical College Graniteville, SC Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 17% | 53% | 38 |
| Allen University Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 13% | 4% | 45% | - |
| Anderson University Anderson, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 82% | - |
| Charleston Southern University Charleston, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | - | 63% | 25 |
| Technical College of the Lowcountry Beaufort, SC Public, 2-4 years | 18% | 27% | 58% | 40 |
| Benedict College Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 24% | 6% | 57% | 45 |
| Bob Jones University Greenville, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 65% | 2% | 82% | 75 |
| Southern Wesleyan University Central, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | 8% | 69% | - |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute Charleston, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 55% | - | 67% | 58 |
| College of Charleston Charleston, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 66% | 25% | 82% | 40 |
| Charzanne Beauty College Greenwood, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 65% | - | 65% | 75 |
| Northeastern Technical College Cheraw, SC Public, 2-4 years | 21% | 29% | 70% | 39 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 75% | 17% | 86% | - |
| Claflin University Orangeburg, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | 27% | 75% | - |
| Clemson University Clemson, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 87% | 9% | 93% | 80 |
| Clinton College Rock Hill, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 14% | - | 58% | 100 |
| Coker University Hartsville, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | 51% | 69% | - |
| Columbia International University Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | 3% | 53% | - |
| Columbia College Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 37% | 46% | 60% | 75 |
| Converse University Spartanburg, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | - | 80% | - |
| Denmark Technical College Denmark, SC Public, 2-4 years | 13% | 23% | 47% | 40 |
| Erskine College Due West, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 45% | 7% | 56% | - |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College Florence, SC Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 18% | 58% | 34 |
| Francis Marion University Florence, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 43% | 37% | 70% | 20 |
| Furman University Greenville, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 79% | 19% | 91% | - |
| Greenville Technical College Greenville, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 21% | 21% | - | - |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, SC Public, 2-4 years | 38% | 11% | 64% | 40 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North Augusta North Augusta, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 43% | - | 93% | 100 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia West Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 54% | 8% | 100% | 67 |
| Lander University Greenwood, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 50% | 26% | 70% | 14 |
| Limestone University Gaffney, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 35% | 1% | 64% | 29 |
| Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC Public, 2-4 years | 18% | 26% | 49% | 33 |
| Morris College Sumter, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 17% | 36% | 41% | - |
| Newberry College Newberry, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 45% | 32% | 69% | - |
| North Greenville University Tigerville, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 55% | - | 72% | 13 |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Orangeburg, SC Public, 2-4 years | 32% | 18% | 66% | 31 |
| Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, SC Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 10% | 61% | 39 |
| Presbyterian College Clinton, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 51% | 41% | 80% | 100 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken Aiken, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 40% | 36% | 67% | 60 |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort Bluffton, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 34% | 44% | 61% | 20 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 79% | 15% | 92% | 38 |
| University of South Carolina-Lancaster Lancaster, SC Public, 2-4 years | 25% | 52% | 43% | 100 |
| University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie Allendale, SC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 34% | 43% | 22 |
| University of South Carolina-Sumter Sumter, SC Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 35% | 59% | 40 |
| University of South Carolina-Union Union, SC Public, 2-4 years | 48% | 28% | 64% | - |
| Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 48% | 32% | 77% | 17 |
| South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 37% | 27% | 56% | 6 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 43% | 35% | 70% | 25 |
| Spartanburg Methodist College Spartanburg, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | 33% | - | - |
| Spartanburg Community College Spartanburg, SC Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 10% | 63% | 42 |
| Central Carolina Technical College Sumter, SC Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 15% | 53% | 32 |
| Tri-County Technical College Pendleton, SC Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 35% | 55% | 42 |
| Trident Technical College Charleston, SC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 24% | 59% | 34 |
| Voorhees University Denmark, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | - | 56% | 58 |
| Williamsburg Technical College Kingstree, SC Public, 2-4 years | 15% | 24% | 70% | 56 |
| Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 57% | 20% | 74% | 67 |
| Wofford College Spartanburg, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 84% | - | 91% | - |
| York Technical College Rock Hill, SC Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 16% | 65% | 30 |
| South University-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 23% | 3% | 57% | 25 |
| Academy of Hair Technology Greenville, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock Hill Rock Hill, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 71% | - | 94% | 100 |
| Strand College of Hair Design Myrtle Beach, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 75% | - | 82% | - |
| Southeastern College-Charleston North Charleston, SC Private, 2-4 years | 67% | - | 78% | 63 |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc Camden, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 87% | - | 100% | - |
| Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 2-4 years | 67% | - | 67% | 49 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Spartanburg Spartanburg, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 69% | - | 100% | - |
| Academy for Careers and Technology Mullins, SC Public, Less than 2 years | 57% | - | 52% | - |
| Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering Aiken, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 74% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina Greenville, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 17% | 33% | 100% | 39 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Florence Florence, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 80% | - | 81% | 33 |
| Fortis College-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 2-4 years | 43% | - | 66% | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia West Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 69% | - | 100% | - |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Charleston North Charleston, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 75% | - | 100% | 70 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Greenville Greenville, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 79% | - | 95% | 33 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Greenville Greenville, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 55% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Arclabs Piedmont, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 76% | - | 85% | 67 |
| Top of the Line Barber College Charleston, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 23% | - | 25% | - |
| B-Unique Beauty and Barber Academy Greenville, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 44% | 56% | 100% | 100 |
| Barber Tech Academy Orangeburg, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 11% | - | - | 100 |
| Construction Training Center Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 60% | - | 21% | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose Creek Goose Creek, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 84% | - | 100% | 89 |
| Southeastern Esthetics Institute Elgin, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 90% | - | 91% | - |
| American College of the Building Arts Charleston, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | 7% | 75% | - |
| Vski Cosmetology School Charleston, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 80% | - | 50% | - |
| Personal Touch Beauty and Barber College Kingstree, SC Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Average | 50% | 23% | 71% | 55 |
Most Compared South Carolina Colleges
The following South Carolina college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.