Elon’s six-year graduation rate ranks in the top 8 percent of the nation's private universities in a new report by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Elon University ranks #91 among 1,199 private colleges and universities across the nation in the latest calculation of six-year graduation rates published by the Chronicle of Higher Education. With a ranking in the top 8 percent of the nation’s private universities, Elon graduated 83.8 percent of students who entered the university in 2011 and had completed their degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for private institutions is 66.4 percent and the average for public institutions is 59.6 percent.
Part of Elon's strong student success rate is due to outstanding student retention. For last year's first-year class, 90 percent of students returned for their sophomore year.
Six-year graduation rate for Elon’s peer private institutions (graduating class 2017):
#49 Bucknell University 90.4%
#50 Villanova University 90.3%
#56 Santa Clara (CA) 89.8%
#65 University of Richmond (VA) 88.2%
#70 Gonzaga University (WA) 87.3%
#80 Lehigh University (PA) 85.8%
#91 Elon University 83.8%
#127 Furman University (SC) 80.5%
#143 Loyola University (MD) 79.1%
#148 Butler University (IN) 78.7%
#164 Drake University (IA) 77.1%
#172 Creighton University (NE) 76.5%
#178 Ithaca College (NY) 76%
#182 Rollins College (FL) 75.3%
#218 Valparaiso University (IN) 72.2%
#392 Stetson University (FL) 62.3%
Including both public and private universities, Elon ranks among the top five North Carolina colleges and universities in the six-year graduation rate:
Duke University – 95.4% – #8 private institutions
Davidson College – 90.8% – #47 private institutions
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – 90.9% – #5 public institutions
Wake Forest University – 88.2% – #64 private institutions
Elon University – 83.8% – #91 private institutions
North Carolina State University – 79.4% – #35 public institutions
Appalachian State University – 73.4% – #59 public institutions
University of North Carolina at Wilmington – 72.5% public institutions
UNC School of the Arts – 70.5% – #78 public institutions
High Point University – 63.4% – #368 private institutions
Meredith College – 63% – #379 private institutions
East Carolina University – 62.1% – #142 public institutions