Graduation rate
A comparison of the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that Eckerd College’s 6-year graduation rate compares favorably to that of other private colleges and universities. The most recent six-year cohort (2013) had a graduation rate of 66%. Our goal is 70% or higher.
Retention rate
The rate that first-year students return is another leading indicator of graduation rates. Eckerd’s rate is above the average for other colleges. 81% of first-year students starting in 2018 (as well as the previous four years) returned for their sophomore year. Our goal is 83% or higher.
Participation rate in elective high-impact practices
High-impact practices (HIPs) are recognized as improving retention and student engagement and success. The College requires participation in several high-impact practices including reflective-service learning, participation in a core curriculum with courses in the first and senior years, a writing-intensive course, and a senior capstone in the major.
In addition, the college tracks student participation in the following three elective (not required) high-impact practices: internships, study abroad, and undergraduate research.
- 80% of first-time students participated in at least one elective HIP during the 2018-19 academic year. Our goal is 100%.
- 48% of first-time students participated in two or more elective HIPs during the 2018-19 academic year. Our goal is 60% or higher.
NCAA student-athlete “Academic Success Rate”
Eckerd College is a member of Division II of the Sunshine State Conference and is proud of its ability to attract and retain student-athletes who are successful both on the court and playing field as well as in the classroom.
The College uses the ASR (Academic Success Rate) as an indicator of its success; the ASR is a metric generated by the NCAA. Our 2011 cohort ASR was 95%. By comparison, the national average for NCAA Division II programs is 73%. Our goal is 90% or higher.
Life after Eckerd College
- A 2013 study from the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida puts the employment rate of new graduates at 68%, with an estimated mean salary of $43,000.
- About 500 students per year complete a for-credit internship. By graduation about half of students will have had an internship.
- Our one-year-out survey of 2014 graduates tells us:
- 94% are employed or continuing their education
- 14% found employment linked to an internship
- 84% said their current position had some relation to their career goals
- From other surveys, we estimate that 50% of graduates pursue further studies within five years and 57% of graduates pursue further studies within 10 years.
Our students give employers and graduate schools exactly what they want. If our enhanced classroom experience doesn’t get them employed or in grad school within six months of graduation, we offer them continued professional guidance and class audits.
