Nov. 2, 2004

The graduation rate for University of Notre Dame student-athletes ranks second among Division I-A colleges and universities, according to statistics released last week by the NCAA.

The federally mandated 2004 NCAA Graduation Rates Report, the 14th such survey issued by the association, covers students who enrolled between 1994 and 1997 at all 328 Division I institutions, including 117 in Division I-A. The NCAA bases graduation rates on the raw percentage of student-athletes who entered an institution and graduated within six years. Students who leave or transfer, regardless of academic standing, are considered non-graduates.

Using the NCAA formula, Notre Dame graduated a four-year average of 87 percent of its student-athletes, second only to Duke University at 90 percent, and tied with Northwestern and Stanford Universities. The national average for Division I-A schools is 61 percent.

Among student-athletes who completed all four years of athletic eligibility at Notre Dame, 99 percent earned their degrees. The national average is 84 percent.

Notre Dame graduated 94 percent of all women competing in varsity athletics, to rank third among peer institutions behind Northwestern at 96 percent and Duke at 95 percent. Among men, Notre Dame’s 82 percent rate was third only to Duke and Stanford at 88 and 84 percent, respectively.

Notre Dame graduated 71 percent of its African-American student-athletes, ranking ninth nationally, and Irish football players graduated at a 77 percent rate, to rank eighth.

2004 NCAA Graduation Rates
All data for student-athletes who enrolled between 1994 and 1997 (numbers are percentages)
All Student-Athletes1.  Duke        902.  Notre Dame      87     Northwestern   87     Stanford       874.  Rice        82     Virginia       826.  Boston College  81
Male Student-Athletes1.  Duke        882.  Stanford        843.  Notre Dame      824.  Northwestern    815.  Rice        78
Female Student-Athletes1.  Northwestern    962.  Duke        953.  Notre Dame      944.  Virginia        925.  Stanford        91
Afro-American Student-Athletes1.  Rice        892.  Northwestern    873.  Vanderbilt      854.  Stanford        845.  Duke        826.  Tulane      787.  Boston College  738.  Wake Forest     729.  Notre Dame      71
Football Student-Athletes1.  Rice        88    Vanderbilt      883.  Duke        85     Stanford       853.  Northwestern    83     Wake Forest    835.  Tulane      816.  Ball State      78     Boston College 788.  Notre Dame      77