Last week a WIAReport post noted that for student athletes at the colleges and universities with the largest athletic programs, 75 percent of women who entered college in 2013 earned their degrees at the same institution within six years compared to 64 percent of men on athletic scholarships.
Now we will examine which sports do the best in graduating their women student athletes.
The highest graduation rate for women’s sports was for fencing, where 87 percent of women athletes earned their degree. The graduation rates for women athletes in gymnastics, ice hockey, rowing, lacrosse, skiing, swimming, and water polo were over 80 percent.
Only 60 percent of women basketball players earned their degrees at the same institution within six years compared to 50 percent of male basketball players. For track and field athletes, 75 percent of women and 68 percent of men earned their degrees within six years.
In addition to basketball, the lowest graduation rates for women athletes were in bowling, softball, and volleyball.