Students who enroll at a Roman Catholic college or university are more likely to receive a degree within four years than their peers at public or for-profit institutions, and graduation rates at Catholic colleges also exceed the rates at private nonprofit colleges in general, according to a report released Friday by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.
The report, "Bachelor’s Degree Attainment: Catholic Colleges and Universities Lead the Way," found higher four-, five- and six-year graduation rates for all entering students at Catholic colleges than the average for the public, for-profit or private nonprofit sectors.
Using data from students who enrolled in Catholic institutions for the first time in fall 2006, 48.4 percent achieved a degree from their original institution within four years. 56.8 percent graduated with a degree in six years. Those figures are approximately 10 percent higher than attainment rates at Catholic institution’s counterparts. The higher attainment rates held true not only for those who began and remained at a Catholic institution, but also for those who transferred into a Catholic institution from other schools.
The report also noted one area where Catholic institutions did not fare as well. When compared with non-Catholic institutions, among part-time students, a larger proportion left Catholic institutions without attaining a degree.
Originally published by Catholic Education Daily of the Cardinal Newman Society on June 17th, 2013.
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