CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference’s collective high level of academic success is again reflected by the NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) report released on Wednesday. The ACC’s average graduation rate of 96 percent – up from 95 percent last year – is six points higher than this year's national average of 90 percent.
“Our amazing student-athletes and institutions continue to exceed in all areas and today’s report showcases the incredible dedication to academics while maximizing both their educational and athletic opportunities,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “We are extremely proud of our student-athletes and their work in the classroom that once again has led to a collective NCAA GSR that greatly exceeds the national average.”
Other notes of interest:
• Overall, 14 institutions have a GSR above the Division I average.
• A total of 147 ACC teams achieved perfect GSR scores of 100, led by 17 teams each from Duke and Notre Dame.
• A combined 23 ACC teams achieved GSR scores of 100 in the sports of men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball.
• Eight men’s basketball teams earned higher scores than the Division I basketball GSR average.
• In men’s basketball, six teams in Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, and Virginia Tech all posted GSR scores of 100.
• The ACC football programs have the highest GSR average (95) among all FBS Conferences.
• Eight ACC football teams matched or earned higher than the FBS football GSR average.
• In the sport of football, the ACC remains the only conference to have multiple teams register GSR scores of 90 or higher every year since 2005. Boston College (97), Clemson (99), Duke (93), Louisville (96), Pitt (94), Virginia (91), and Wake Forest (97) reached that plateau in this year’s report.
• 11 ACC women’s basketball teams earned higher than the Division I women’s basketball GSR average.
• This marks the 15th straight year that the ACC has had at least four women’s basketball programs score 100, making it the only peer conference to do so. A total of 11 ACC teams –Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, and Wake Forest – recorded a 100 GSR in the latest report.
• Nine ACC baseball teams earned higher scores at or higher than the Division I GSR baseball average. Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Notre Dame, Virginia, and Wake Forest each registered a 100 GSR.
Wednesday’s update is based on information obtained from the 2023 NCAA Graduation Rate Report. This is the most recent graduating class for which the required six years of information is available. A graduation rate (percent) is based on a comparison of the number 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, the graduation rate is 60 percent.
It should be noted that graduation rates are affected by several factors: some students transfer to another college, some may be dismissed for academic deficiencies, some may have to work part-time and need more than six years to graduate. The Graduation Success Rate (GSR) subtracts students from the entering cohort who are considered allowable exclusions (those who either die or become personally disabled, those who leave school to join the armed forces, foreign services or attend a church mission) as well as those who would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned to the institution.