Student Achievement & Success
The mission of Francis Marion University is to make available excellent educational programs for the people of the region and the state. Student achievement is a vital part of the mission of Francis Marion (FM), and to evaluate student success, the University uses student achievement data, including student retention and graduation rates, external program accreditation, pass rates on pre-licensure and licensure examinations, student and alumni satisfaction surveys, and where appropriate, job placement rates.
Evaluation of student achievement data supports the overall mission of the University, its priorities (as set forth in its strategic plan and annual accountability report), and its degree programs.
Freshmen Retention: Based on information as reported to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (SCCHE) and from National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) for the cohort
| Full-Time Freshmen Retention Rate | |
| 2018-2019 | 68.9% |
| 2019-2020 | 67.6% |
| 2020-2021 | 65.6% |
| 2021-2022 | 64.6% |
| 2022-2023 | 69.2% |
Six-Year Graduation Rate: Based on data as reported to the SCCHE and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
| Six-Year Graduation Rate | |
| Cohort Fall 2011 - Reported through August 2017 | 37.4% |
| Cohort Fall 2012 - Reported through August 2018 | 39.3% |
| Cohort Fall 2013 - Reported through August 2019 | 43.9% |
| Cohort Fall 2014 - Reported through August 2020 | 44% |
| Cohort Fall 2015 - Reported through August 2021 | 43.1% |
| Cohort Fall 2016 - Reported through August 2022 | 39.2% |
| Cohort Fall 2017 - Reported through August 2023 | 42.7% |
Student Success Enrollment and Graduation Rates, as reported by (NSC)
Success Indicators for Fall 2016 Cohort of First-Time Full-Time Undergraduates
4 Years (%) 6 Years (%)
Completion Rate. Graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from FMU or Another Institution 24% 48%
Persistence Rate. Enrolled at FMU or Elsewhere 44% 13%
Earned Credential other than Bachelor's Degree at Another Institution 7% 12%
credentialed at FMU or Elsewhere (sum of the above)
Total Student Success Rate. Enrolled or 75% 73%
| Success Indicators for Fall 2017 Cohort of First-Time Full-Time Undergraduates | ||
| 4 Years (%) | 6 Years (%) | |
| Completion Rate. Graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from FMU or Another Institution. | 29% | 51% |
| Persistence Rate. Enrolled at FMU or Elsewhere | 42% | 11% |
| Earned Credential other than Bachelor’s Degree at Another Institution | 6% | 11% |
| Total Student Success Rate. (Enrolled or credentialed at FMU or Elsewhere) | 77% | 73% |
| Freshmen Cohort Graduation Rates | ||
| All Students | Student-Athletes | |
| 2017-18 Graduation Rate | 43% | 43% |
| Four-Class Average | 42% | 43% |
| Student-Athlete Academic Success Rate | - | 69% |
Click Here to view the NCAA’s full report
The NCAA Division II Graduation Rates Institution Report has been prepared by the NCAA, based on data provided by member institutions in compliance with NCAA Bylaw 7.8.2.1 (Admissions and Graduation-Rate Disclosure) and the federal Student Right-to-Know Act. Please note, the NCAA will make this report public.
The Graduation Rates Institution Report gives graduation information about the most recent six-year graduating class of students and student-athletes who entered as freshmen in 2017-18. The graduation rate (percent) is based on a comparison of the number (N) of students who entered a college or university and the number of those who graduated within six years. For example, if 100 students entered and 60 graduated within six years, the graduation rate is 60 percent.
The Graduation Rates Institution Report provides information about two groups of students:
- All Students.
All undergraduate students who were enrolled in a full-time program of study for their baccalaureate degree; and
- Student-Athletes.
Student-athletes who received athletics aid from the school for any period during their entering year. [Note: Athletics aid is a grant, scholarship, tuition waiver or other assistance from a college or university that is awarded based on a student’s athletic ability.]
Two different measures of graduation rates are presented in this report: Federal Graduation Rate and NCAA Division II Academic Success Rate (ASR). The Federal Graduation Rate indicates the percentage of freshmen who entered and received athletics aid during a given academic year who graduated within six years. The ASR adds to the first-time freshmen, those students who entered midyear, first-time freshmen who did not receive athletics aid but participated in athletics (i.e., walk-ons), as well as student-athletes who transferred into an institution, received athletics aid or were on the roster at the start of the championship season their first year at the institution. Both the Federal Graduation Rate and the ASR subtract students from the entering cohort who are considered allowable exclusions (i.e., those who either die or become permanently disabled, those who leave the school to join the armed forces, foreign services or embark on a religious mission). In addition, the ASR subtracts those who left the institution prior to graduation, but had athletics eligibility remaining and would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned to the institution.
The box at the top of the Graduation Rates Institution Report provides the most recent class (i.e., 2017-18) and four-class Federal Graduation Rate (i.e., 2014-15 through 2017-18) for all students and for student-athletes who received athletics aid at this school. Additionally, this box provides ASR data (i.e., 2014-15 through 2017-18) for student-athletes.
- Graduation- Rates Data.
The second section of the report provides Federal Graduation Rate and ASR data for all students, student-athletes and student-athletes by sport group. (Note: Pursuant to the Student Right-to-Know Act, anytime a cell containing cohort numbers includes only one or two students, the data in that cell and one other will be suppressed so that no individual can be identified.)
a. All Students.
This section provides the freshman-cohort graduation rates for all full-time, degree seeking students by race or ethnic group. It shows the rate for men who entered as freshmen in 2017-18 and the four-class average, which includes those who entered as freshmen in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. The same rates are provided for women. The total for 2016-17 is the rate for men and women combined, and the four-class average is for all students who entered in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017- 18.
b. Student-Athletes.
This section provides the freshman-cohort graduation rates and the ASR for student athletes in each race and ethnic group who received athletics aid. Information is provided for men and women separately and for all student-athletes.
c. Student-Athletes by Sports Categories.
This section provides the identified graduation rates as in 1-b for each of the eight sports categories. (The small letters indicate the value of N according to the legend at the bottom of 1-c.)
- Undergraduate-Enrollment Data.
a. All Students.
This section indicates the total number of full-time, undergraduate, baccalaureate, degree-seeking students enrolled for the 2023 fall term and the number of men and women in each racial or ethnic group (not just freshmen).
b. Student-Athletes.
This section identifies how many student-athletes were enrolled and received athletics aid for the 2023-24 academic year, and the number of men and women in each racial or ethnic group.
c. Student-Athletes by Sports Categories.
This section provides the enrollment data as identified in 2-b for each of the eight sports categories.
Francis Marion’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness collects data on completion of state licensing examinations. These data are presented annually in the Annual Accountability Report which is submitted to the Office of the State (SC) Budget and are as follows:
- The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association requires a three-year average of 80% for the three most recently completed academic years. The three-year (2021-2023) average PRAXIS pass rate for the Master of Speech-Language Pathology Program is 89%.
- From 2020-2023, the pass rates of graduates from the Francis Marion University Nursing Program on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN) have met the accreditation benchmark of a minimum passing standard of 80% and a pass rate for first-time test takers within 5% of the national average, as required by the South Carolina Board of Nursing.
Annual Pass Rates for Graduates of Registered Nursing Programs on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN)(First-time test takers):
| Average | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| National | 82.25% | 82.48% | 79.91% | 88.56% |
| South Carolina | 90.45% | 89.05% | 87.13% | 94.02% |
| Francis Marion University | 90.57% | 93.33% | 82.86% | 88.31% |
Graduating seniors take a Senior Exit Survey (95% or better response rate) which includes a question concerning post-graduation employment. The percentages of students who graduated in the 2023-2024 academic year that indicated that they had been offered full-time employment are below. This value is consistent with the rates for previous semesters and data collected by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
| Type of Degree | % |
| Bachelors | 42.0% |
| Masters | 77.2% |
| Doctorate | 100.0% |
The high participation rate of regional employers in career fairs sponsored by the Career Development Office indicates that these employers find FM graduates to be qualified and motivated employees.
- Francis Marion University Mission Statement
- Strategic Plan
- Accountability Report
- FMU Catalog
- Common Data Set
- South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
- National Student Clearinghouse
- NCAA Division II Graduation Rates Institution Report information
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam