Student achievement data

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate in June 2024 was 4%. Therefore, SCAD's threshold of acceptability is to maintain an employment rate that is above the national average.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. The 2022-23 target is to remain above 95% of Spring 2022 alumni employed, pursuing further education, or both within ten months of graduation.

In the most recent SCAD Alumni Study conducted in 2023 for the class of 2022, for the sixth year in a row, we found that 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. Of the total number of employed respondents, 90% are working in the industry for which they studied or in a related field.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. The 2023-24 target is to remain above 95% of Spring 2023 alumni employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation.

For fiscal year 2020 (the most recent year available), the national cohort default rate was 0% due to a pause in repayments. Once payments resume, SCAD’s threshold of acceptability will be to maintain a cohort default rate that is lower than the national average.

The target for the SCAD 2020 fiscal year cohort default rate is to remain below 2%. Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student financial services, and institutional effectiveness. Leaders annually review historical data and set appropriate, quantifiable targets to continue to improve student achievement.

SCAD's most recent three-year federal loan cohort default rate, released in September 2023 (reflecting 2020 cohort), is 0%.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

The target for the SCAD cohort default rate is to remain at 0% until resumed payments are represented.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the national student retention average in Fall 2022 was 76.5% for first-time, full-time undergraduate students. SCAD’s threshold of acceptability is to maintain an undergraduate retention rate that is above the national average. No national average or peer benchmark exists for graduate student retention. Therefore, the university reviews internal trend data to set benchmarks and strives to continuously improve. The threshold of acceptability is to maintain a graduate retention average of 85% or above.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. SCAD's targets for the 2022-23 academic year are to maintain an undergraduate retention rate of 85% or higher and a graduate retention rate of 90% or higher.

The retention rate for SCAD undergraduate students (first time, full-time freshmen) is 81%, and the average retention rate for SCAD graduate students for 89%.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. SCAD's targets for the 2023-24 academic year are to maintain an undergraduate retention rate of 85% or higher and a graduate retention rate of 90% or higher.

No national average or peer benchmark exists for thesis completion. Therefore, the university reviews internal trend data to set benchmarks and strives to continuously improve. The threshold of acceptability is to maintain a thesis completion rate of 82% or above.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Based on this annual review, the target was set to remain at 92% thesis completion for the 2022–23 academic year.

During the 2022-23 academic year, the thesis completion rate was 93%.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Based on this annual review, the target was set to 90% thesis completion for the 2023–24 academic year.

According to the NCES, the national six-year student graduation rate is 65% for first-time, full-time undergraduate students. SCAD’s threshold of acceptability is to maintain an overall undergraduate graduation rate that is above the national average.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2021-22 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining an overall six-year graduation rate of 65% or higher.

The SCAD overall six-year graduation rate for the Fall 2016 first-time, full-time undergraduate degree-seeking cohort was 72%.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2022-23 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining an overall six-year graduation rate of 65% or higher.

According to the NCES, the national overall six-year graduation rate is 68% for female students and 61% for male students. SCAD's threshold of acceptability is to maintain an undergraduate graduation rate that is above the national average for each respective gender.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2021-22 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining a 71% six-year graduation rate for female students and a 67% six-year graduation rate for male students.

The SCAD overall six-year graduation rate is 74% for female students and 69% for male students.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2022-23 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining a 71% six-year graduation rate for female students and a 67% six-year graduation rate for male students.

No national average or peer benchmark exists for graduation rate by citizenship status. SCAD’s threshold of acceptability is to maintain an undergraduate graduation rate for domestic and international students that is above the overall national average six-year graduation rate of 65%.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2021-22 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining a first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate graduation rate of 70% for domestic students and 82% for international students.

The first-time, full-time undergraduate degree-seeking six-year graduation rate for domestic students and international students was 72% and 76%, respectively.

Yes, SCAD met the threshold of acceptability.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2022-23 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining a first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate graduation rate that is above the national average of 65% for domestic and international students.

No national average or peer benchmark exists for six-year graduation rate by ethnicity. Therefore, SCAD’s threshold of acceptability is to maintain an undergraduate graduation rate for all students, regardless of ethnicity, that is above the overall national average of 65%.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2022-23 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining the six-year graduation rate above the national average of 65% across ethnic groups.

The first-time, full-time undergraduate degree seeking 6-year graduation rate disaggregated by ethnicity is as follows:
Hispanic – 69%
American Indian or Alaskan Native – 55%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander - 67%
Asian – 76%
Black – 58%
White – 74%
Unknown – 78%
U.S. Non-resident - 76%

SCAD met the threshold of acceptability for all ethnicities other than American Indian or Alaskan Native and Black. In support of timely student graduation, and in addition to the continued work of the SCAD retention taskforce, the SCAD senior director of institutional research, vice president for SCAD Savannah, and director of the Office of Inclusion participated in SACSCOC/NWCCU Data Equity Fellowship program in 2022-23 to identify high impact practices that can improve the graduation rates of minority students. SCAD will continue to monitor graduation rate by ethnicity.

Targets and thresholds are reviewed annually, and adjusted as needed, by leaders in academic services, student success, and institutional effectiveness to ensure appropriate levels of success and acceptability. Upon review of the 2022-23 graduation rate data, SCAD has established the target of maintaining the six-year graduation rate above the national average of 65% across ethnic groups.