A special report by the Chronicle of Higher Education on graduation rates at 1,400 four-year colleges and universities highlights Elon's improving rates at a time when many other schools are experiencing declining numbers. In this study, Elon ranked #16 out of more than 300 private master's-level universities, the top school in the Southeast in this category.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the median six-year graduation rate among all four-year colleges stood at 53 percent in 2008, 25 points lower than Elon’s 78 percent figure.
While Elon’s graduation rate improved from 71 percent in 2003 to 78 percent in 2008, the Chronicle found that one-third of colleges and universities reported lower graduation rates for that six-year period. The graduation rate dropped at nearly 500 four-year institutions during that period.