DII graduation rate rises to 77%

The NCAA has released the latest Division II graduation rate data, including the division's Academic Success Rate.

The national four-cohort ASR average increased to 77%, according to the most recent data. Overall Division II student-athlete graduation rates and many subgroup rates are at or near their highest levels. 

"In Division II, our unwavering commitment to academic success shines through our Life in the Balance philosophy," said Terri Steeb Gronau, NCAA vice president of Division II. "The incredible dedication of our institutions, conferences, student-athletes, coaches and administrators to achieve success on and off the field makes us all proud at the national office."

The NCAA developed the Division II ASR at the request of college and university presidents who believed the federal graduation rate was outdated. Division II's ASR data includes student-athletes who transfer into a school and removes student-athletes who left the school in good academic standing. In addition, given the partial-scholarship financial aid model of Division II, the ASR data includes student-athletes not on athletically related financial aid. 

Even when using the less-inclusive federal rate, Division II student-athletes outperform the general student body by 6 percentage points.

Notable single-class student-athlete increases in ASR over the 18 years of calculating this rate in Division II include overall (from 69% to 77%), Black men (from 42% to 52%), Black women (from 61% to 72%), Hispanic/Latino men (48% to 67%) and Hispanic/Latina women (63% to 81%). 

In addition, there have been notable increases in ASR for two-year transfer student-athletes (from 61% to 74%) and four-year transfer student-athletes (from 68% to 78%) over the past 10 years.