APR By Conference, 2009
Data ho. Current four-year rates for eligibility and retention plus squad sizes and overall APRs for all of I-A, organized by conference. This was always hard to get out of the PDFs and prevented wide-scale comparisons without enormous amounts of grunt work.
Conference Comparison
Conference | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
ACC | 951.4 | 947.0 | 950.3 | 351.3 |
Big Ten | 947.5 | 932.9 | 947.4 | 354.7 |
SEC | 947.3 | 942.8 | 938.6 | 357.4 |
Pac 10 | 946.4 | 935.8 | 945.0 | 357.2 |
Big East | 944.5 | 938.8 | 942.8 | 357.6 |
Mountain West | 944.3 | 929.0 | 944.8 | 358.0 |
Big 12 | 940.5 | 927.3 | 936.0 | 360.7 |
CUSA | 940.4 | 929.3 | 940.8 | 359.8 |
MAC | 928.8 | 908.0 | 937.7 | 349.2 |
WAC | 928.6 | 907.7 | 930.2 | 349.0 |
Sun Belt | 922.6 | 895.8 | 938.8 | 348.0 |
The ACC is your APR champion by a healthy margin; the rest of the BCS is virtually indistinguishable from another (and the Mountain West) save for the Big 12, which lags. The MAC, WAC, and Sun Belt bring up the rear, with the Sun Belt's appalling eligibility rate standing as yet another reason that conference is a blight on I-A.
Individual conference numbers after the jump.
WAC
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boise State University | 966 | 957 | 955 | 366 |
California State University, Fresno | 948 | 929 | 964 | 347 |
University of Nevada | 945 | 927 | 924 | 368 |
University of Hawaii, Manoa | 935 | 927 | 926 | 350 |
Louisiana Tech University | 934 | 916 | 942 | 355 |
Utah State University | 931 | 934 | 920 | 318 |
New Mexico State University | 905 | 880 | 913 | 360 |
University of Idaho | 905 | 862 | 926 | 350 |
San Jose State University | 888 | 837 | 902 | 327 |
AVERAGE | 928.6 | 907.7 | 930.2 | 349.0 |
Sun Belt
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Troy University | 945 | 934 | 938 | 361 |
Middle Tennessee State University | 945 | 929 | 943 | 342 |
Arkansas State University | 941 | 936 | 946 | 358 |
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 916 | 863 | 952 | 358 |
Florida Atlantic University | 913 | 879 | 936 | 338 |
University of North Texas | 911 | 889 | 920 | 350 |
University of Louisiana at Monroe | 906 | 867 | 945 | 348 |
Florida International University | 904 | 869 | 930 | 329 |
AVERAGE | 922.6 | 895.8 | 938.8 | 348.0 |
SEC
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
University of Georgia | 975 | 965 | 960 | 374 |
Vanderbilt University | 969 | 972 | 958 | 338 |
University of Florida | 963 | 967 | 947 | 364 |
Louisiana State University | 960 | 954 | 956 | 367 |
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa | 955 | 954 | 943 | 348 |
University of Tennessee, Knoxville | 949 | 929 | 941 | 353 |
Auburn University | 949 | 939 | 946 | 357 |
University of Kentucky | 948 | 935 | 946 | 359 |
Mississippi State University | 933 | 949 | 914 | 363 |
University of South Carolina, Columbia | 929 | 924 | 932 | 368 |
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville | 927 | 917 | 917 | 363 |
University of Mississippi | 910 | 909 | 903 | 335 |
AVERAGE | 947.3 | 942.8 | 938.6 | 357.4 |
Pac 10
School | Apr | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stanford University | 984 | 982 | 981 | 346 |
University of California, Berkeley | 970 | 961 | 964 | 381 |
University of Southern California | 956 | 937 | 955 | 362 |
University of Washington | 954 | 945 | 948 | 349 |
University of California, Los Angeles | 948 | 938 | 947 | 359 |
Arizona State University | 945 | 925 | 943 | 365 |
University of Oregon | 935 | 945 | 922 | 362 |
Oregon State University | 930 | 921 | 934 | 360 |
University of Arizona | 924 | 904 | 929 | 342 |
Washington State University | 918 | 900 | 927 | 346 |
AVERAGE | 946.4 | 935.8 | 945.0 | 357.2 |
Mountain West
School | Apr | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Air Force Academy | 983 | 982 | 984 | 315 |
Texas Christian University | 962 | 953 | 966 | 372 |
University of Utah | 954 | 956 | 931 | 364 |
Colorado State University | 944 | 931 | 947 | 373 |
Brigham Young University | 942 | 931 | 941 | 376 |
University of Wyoming | 939 | 932 | 937 | 346 |
University of New Mexico | 932 | 911 | 933 | 369 |
University of Nevada, Las Vegas | 929 | 897 | 936 | 366 |
San Diego State University | 914 | 868 | 928 | 341 |
AVERAGE | 944.3 | 929.0 | 944.8 | 358.0 |
MAC
School | Apr | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Miami University (Ohio) | 966 | 964 | 967 | 360 |
Ohio University | 949 | 941 | 957 | 366 |
Northern Illinois University | 947 | 919 | 959 | 360 |
Ball State University | 944 | 931 | 951 | 364 |
Eastern Michigan University | 934 | 910 | 935 | 325 |
Western Michigan University | 932 | 914 | 931 | 326 |
Central Michigan University | 930 | 922 | 918 | 354 |
University of Akron | 926 | 911 | 927 | 354 |
Bowling Green State University | 920 | 900 | 932 | 365 |
Kent State University | 919 | 890 | 936 | 349 |
University of Toledo | 908 | 889 | 916 | 325 |
University at Buffalo | 908 | 856 | 949 | 334 |
Temple University | 891 | 857 | 912 | 357 |
AVERAGE | 928.8 | 908.0 | 937.7 | 349.2 |
Conference USA
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rice University | 979 | 981 | 971 | 357 |
Tulane University | 963 | 969 | 953 | 338 |
University of Central Florida | 960 | 965 | 943 | 356 |
University of Memphis | 948 | 925 | 958 | 369 |
Southern Methodist University | 947 | 941 | 948 | 373 |
University of Southern Mississippi | 944 | 935 | 940 | 361 |
University of Houston | 942 | 937 | 936 | 353 |
Marshall University | 939 | 936 | 934 | 361 |
East Carolina University | 932 | 917 | 940 | 356 |
University of Tulsa | 931 | 913 | 944 | 363 |
University of Texas at El Paso | 925 | 889 | 921 | 363 |
University of Alabama at Birmingham | 875 | 844 | 901 | 367 |
AVERAGE | 940.4 | 929.3 | 940.8 | 359.8 |
Big Ten
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania State University | 976 | 957 | 980 | 359 |
Northwestern University | 973 | 969 | 973 | 343 |
Ohio State University | 968 | 962 | 956 | 360 |
Indiana University | 957 | 954 | 951 | 351 |
University of Wisconsin | 953 | 941 | 949 | 365 |
University of Michigan | 947 | 930 | 945 | 367 |
University of Iowa | 946 | 930 | 947 | 354 |
Michigan State University | 931 | 903 | 943 | 355 |
University of Illinois | 930 | 913 | 937 | 352 |
Purdue University | 926 | 899 | 935 | 348 |
University of Minnesota | 915 | 904 | 905 | 348 |
AVERAGE | 947.5 | 932.9 | 947.4 | 354.7 |
Big East
School | Apr | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rutgers | 980 | 983 | 971 | 374 |
Syracuse University | 956 | 957 | 947 | 356 |
University of Connecticut | 951 | 958 | 939 | 348 |
University of Cincinnati | 947 | 933 | 960 | 362 |
University of Pittsburgh | 944 | 929 | 944 | 354 |
West Virginia University | 939 | 932 | 939 | 364 |
University of Louisville | 930 | 919 | 929 | 368 |
University of South Florida | 909 | 899 | 913 | 335 |
AVERAGE | 944.5 | 938.8 | 942.8 | 357.6 |
Big Twelve
School | Apr | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
University of Oklahoma | 952 | 948 | 931 | 352 |
University of Missouri, Columbia | 951 | 953 | 935 | 355 |
University of Nebraska, Lincoln | 950 | 954 | 931 | 360 |
Texas A&M University, College Station | 946 | 916 | 955 | 378 |
University of Kansas | 941 | 922 | 940 | 351 |
University of Texas at Austin | 939 | 909 | 947 | 370 |
Oklahoma State University | 939 | 926 | 928 | 371 |
Kansas State University | 939 | 922 | 930 | 338 |
Texas Tech University | 935 | 920 | 939 | 368 |
Iowa State University | 935 | 922 | 941 | 359 |
Baylor University | 930 | 920 | 931 | 363 |
University of Colorado, Boulder | 929 | 916 | 924 | 363 |
AVERAGE | 940.5 | 927.3 | 936.0 | 360.7 |
ACC
School | APR | Eligibility Rate | Retention Rate | Squad Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
Duke University | 980 | 988 | 970 | 345 |
University of Miami (Florida) | 977 | 968 | 969 | 346 |
Boston College | 970 | 971 | 970 | 337 |
Wake Forest University | 966 | 960 | 970 | 341 |
Georgia Institute of Technology | 957 | 959 | 950 | 345 |
Clemson University | 955 | 960 | 943 | 363 |
University of North Carolina | 947 | 946 | 942 | 381 |
University of Virginia | 937 | 931 | 944 | 339 |
North Carolina State University | 933 | 927 | 929 | 343 |
Florida State University | 932 | 922 | 926 | 360 |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute | 932 | 922 | 942 | 360 |
University of Maryland, College Park | 931 | 910 | 948 | 356 |
AVERAGE | 951.4 | 947.0 | 950.3 | 351.3 |
I'm half shocked by Texas. 909 eligibility? No wonder they wanted the top 10% rule changed this past legislative session.
I'd leave out the 10% rule, as I assume UT football, a Top 5 program, can basically get whomever they want on their team, from valedictorians to mouth-breathers.
Their grad rate has been atrocious the last few years. The don't even graduate half their players. True, they likely have 1-3 folks each year who leave early for the NFL, but even accounting for that, they still are at just under 50%.
http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/nH8egsr2009/703.pdf
(If it means anything to them, Oklahoma is even worse).
http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/nH8egsr2009/522.pdf
Thanks for the links. I had heard about Oklahoma's rate, but it kind of makes sense that other teams in the Big 12 would also struggle graduating kids.
The Big 12 is a really interesting spread vs. the other BCS conferences. The range for Big 12 schools is only 23 points between first and last. Oklahoma at the top, is the lowest "best in conference" school of the BCS conferences, but Colorado at the bottom is well above all the other conference bottom dwellers with the exception of Maryland in the ACC. Just a very different dynamic in the Big 12.
Yet another way in which the CAA would make a better 1-A league than the Sun Belt.
They would just be better off in 1-AA. Just keep Troy in 1-A.
We should be higher. It seems that every league has their top academic schools near the top, Duke in the ACC, Stanford and Berkeley in the PAC 10, Vandy is #2 in the SEC, etc. We're even with UNC and UCLA though, very similar schools to ours academically. And we're ahead of UVA.
Also, we have the highest squad size in the Big Ten.
We're also tied with UNC, which is academically similar to UM.
From what I've gathered, the APR basically shows that the NCAA cares enough about academics that it produces a stat that shows that all but the bottom-bottomers athletically graduate most of their kids, or at least keep them for 4 years. I'd much rather the NCAA take into account graduation rates that ignore stuff like transfers (b/c guys like Mallet and Boren would have graduated/gone pro at UM if they had stuck around) and leaving early if the kid is drafted (when I was at UM in the early 00's, classmates were leaving school all the time to work for tech companies out West. They would have graduated, but they had offers today to do what they went to school for). This metric would certainly give you an imperfect metric, but it would probably be more elucidating than knowing FSU doesn't really graduate anyone but that everyone else in college sports seems to do enough to keep kids eligible and/or happy at their current school.
In the mid-oughts, at the company where I worked at the time, there were about 10 of us doing web application development. I think four of us had CS or related degrees, four more had a degree of a different sort but got into programming later, and two didn't even have a degree; like the people you mention at Michigan, these guys left school to, uh, make money. (They were both interns in the group and decided it was better to work full-time and get paid than to work full-time and then go back to school.)
One of them went back and got his degree later, I think. Last I heard, the other one hadn't. Of course it's slightly different when the job you're taking a) has nothing to do with your major and b) isn't going to last long enough to make you secure for life (for all but a handful of players, that is), so I suppose the NCAA has a tiny point in wanting players to stay in school, but hell, if someone had come to me during my second senior year and said "hey kid, we'll give you a programmer's full-time job and you can focus entirely on work, and also we'll pay you some good money," the sonic boom created by the speed of my departure from school would have left my desk a mess, but alas, as I've learned from MythBusters, it would probably not have broken any glass at all.
I'd like to see the Freep writers attempt to do this sort of data analysis. Or even understand APR. That would be the day.
Nice work, Brian.
sooooo...After all the transfers and supposed disaster waste-land, grenade throwing, temper tantrum, cast-off crying babies that the football program has gone through, Michigan's APR is at the Big Ten Average, which is the second highest average in all the Div I football conferences? That really puts in perspective how spoiled we've been.
Although I have seen some general info on retention rates and time it takes to graduate for Michigan,it would be interesting to see similar info for non-athlete students at the same universities with the NCAA APR data. I appreciate that the formula would not be the same, but the numbers might tell an interesting tale.
is someone with a lot of time. Purdue has info here, and as you expect, the formula doesn't work out quite the same, but at least we could use data like this to build comparative data sets. I suspect the other public schools have similar information. (Private schools and Pennsylvania schools do too. Hurrah for the Student Right to Know Act!)
To save a click for those less interested, the data on that page covers students entering Purdue during the fall semester of academic years 1998-99 through 2005-06. For 2003-04, the last year for which six-year data would be somewhat available (I'm assuming this counts people in their 11th semester, fall 2009, and does not estimate or otherwise include people in their 12th semester, winter 2010), 71% have graduated so far, 18% withdrew on their own, 9% flunked out, and 2% are still around.
After four years, 40% of that group had graduated, pretty much where the average has been over the given time. 66% graduated in five years, which is trending up a bit from the late '90s, and the 71% is also trending up a bit from the late '90s. (Two interesting bits: 1% of the students graduated in two years or less, and 3% of the 2003-04 group flunked out within a year.)
Looks like roughly 4-6% of a given class graduates in six years. Woo underachievers! (Or was that just me?)
Other schools:
Indiana: didn't see breakouts of non-graduates, but they do include all campuses (Purdue's data is just for West Lafayette), and they break it out in lots of different ways.
All Michigan state schools (PDF): We learn two things. One, UM rules academically. (OK, we knew that already.) Two, MSU, well, not so much. (35.6% in four years, 65.9% in five - can you say co-op? - and 71.3% in six years.) But it does include national averages, and looking either at UM vs. other state schools or UM vs. national average, Michigan does very, very well looking at the entire student body.
Minnesota: At the Twin Cities campus, 66% for students as a whole.
Northwestern: Yeah, they're smart and committed. Good thing I didn't go there. Roughly 90% in five years for every year except the incoming class in 1998, which dipped to 83.7%. 90-94% graduate in six years, including those 1998 folks. I smell an accounting error.
Ohio State (PDF): Not good in the late '90s. We knew that, right? (I wonder how much of this is due to the size of the school: Texas also had a poor graduation rate, as did Minnesota.) Actually, they've done an excellent job of bringing up their rates, from a four-year rate of 34.9% for 1999 entry to 51.0% for 2005 entry. Their 2003 numbers were 46%, 71%, and 75%. Not bad.
Penn State: Classic ASP pages, play with the URL variables to get the data you like. They display by graduation year rather than by entrance year, so in 2009, 63.1% had graduated in four years, 83.2% of 2004 entrants had graduated in five, 84.6% of 2003 entrants in six years. (Branch campuses: much lower.)
Wisconsin: This page even has links to "enhanced" graduation, counting students who transferred and graduated elsewhere. For 2003 entrants and normal rates, 50%/79%/82% for four-year/five-year/six-year graduates.
I couldn't find Iowa rates, and Illinois' page refused to load, although Google did point me to this PDF, which lists all AAU members and six-year rates for 2001 cohorts.
zlionsfan
Good work dude - glad you put in the effort. I looked at all of your source documents.
Michigan is definitely a good place to go to school. Somewhat off topic a bit, but the 200 or so majors offered at Michigan doesn't happen in many other places.
I really wish the NCAA would put comparable graduation rates of the school alongside their data.
Looking at the numbers, the "contenders" for B10 expansion are pretty scattered.
(APR, Elig. Rate, Ret. Rate)
B10 Avg: 977.5, 932.9, 947.4
PSU: 976, 957, 980 (first in B10)
UMich: 947, 930, 945 (mid B10)
Mizzou: 951, 953, 935 (#2 B12)
Texas: 939, 909, 947 (#6 B12)
Rutgers: 980, 983, 971 (#1 BE)
Syracuse: 956, 957, 947 (#2 BE)
Pitt: 944, 929, 944 (#5 BE)
Rutgers would top the B10, and 'Cuse would be 5. Pitt falls to the lower half of the B10. The two B12 "candidates" are mid-pack B10.
I wonder if the Presidents consider these types of stats, or if it's all about the eyeballs?
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