63 percent of Division I student-athletes who began college as freshmen in 2000 graduated within six years, compared to 62 percent of students at Division I institutions, according to the federal data.
The federal graduation rate does not count transfer students, but it is the only national measurement to compare overall student body academic success with student-athletes. The NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate includes transfer students in its calculation and is more accurate than the federal rate.
Released earlier this month, the most recent GSR data indicate that 77 percent of student-athletes earned their degrees within six years—14 points higher than the federal graduation rate.
When further examined by race and gender, and when weighted to more similarly match the demographic profiles of students nationally, the federal data show that virtually every subgroup of student-athletes is exceeding the graduation success of their counterparts in the student body.
In particular, African-American student-athletes are graduating at a rate seven points higher than African-American students in general (53 percent to 46 percent). African-American male student-athletes are graduating at a rate 10 points higher than African-American male students, 49 percent to 39 percent.
White student-athletes graduate three points higher than their student body peers, at 67 percent to 64 percent. This is due in part to the fact that the graduation rate for white female student-athletes is seven points higher than white female students (74 percent to 66 percent).
Among key subgroups, only white male student-athletes are graduating at a rate lower than their counterparts in the student body at large (59 percent to 62 percent).
If the gender/ethnic demographics of student-athletes were identical to the student body, the federal graduation rate for student-athletes who started college in 2000 would increase to 65 percent, and the GSR would increase to 82 percent.