SACSCOC Core Requirement 8.1 - Student Achievement
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires institutions to identify outcomes including a Key Student Completion Indicator (KSCI) to report student achievement. Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), and independent, private university, complies with this requirement by monitoring broad measures of student success through four institutional outcomes including six-year graduation rates (completion within 150% of expected time) as reported annually to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for the KSCI. The four outcomes are identified and discussed below.
- Institutional Outcome 1 (IO1) Students will persist in enrollment at the University.
- Institutional Outcome 2 (IO2) Students will persist in enrollment to appropriate six-year graduation rates.
- Institutional Outcome 3 (IO3) Students will prepare for future advancement in their chosen vocational areas.
- Institutional Outcome 4 (IO4) Students will manage their student loan debt successfully.
Goal #1
Freshman to sophomore student retention will reach 80%. (IO1)
Outcome:
| Academic Year | Fall-to-Fall | Fall-to-Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 68% (Fall 2023 to Fall 2024) | 86% (Fall 2024 to Spring 2025) |
| 2023–24 | 67% (Fall 2022 to Fall 2023) | 86% (Fall 2023 to Spring 2024) |
| 2022–23 | 76% (Fall 2021 to Fall 2022) | 87.6% (Fall 2022 to Spring 2023) |
| 2021–22 | 71% (Fall 2020 to Fall 2021) | 89.6% (Fall 2021 to Spring 2022) |
| 2020–21 | 73% (Fall 2019 to Fall 2020) | 87.8% (Fall 2020 to Spring 2021) |
| 2019–20 | 76% (Fall 2018 to Fall 2019) | 89.0% (Fall 2019 to Spring 2020) |
| 2018–19 | 75% (Fall 2017 to Fall 2018) | 92.0% (Fall 2018 to Spring 2019) |
Goal #2
(KSCI) Full-time, first-time, degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree will graduate at 65% by 2030 (150% of the normal or expected time for completion). (IO2)
Outcome:
| Cohort | Graduation Year | 6-Year Completion Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2021 | 61% |
| 2016 | 2022 | 56% |
| 2017 | 2023 | 59% |
Source: PBA Factbook; IPEDS
Application at the School Level
School of Nursing
Goal #3
Students will meet the thresholds established by external organizations for success in licensure or certification requirements. (IO3)
Gregory School of Pharmacy – Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D)
Pharm.D. graduates from the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy must pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) before they can become licensed pharmacists. Such is required by all state boards of pharmacy.
Goal: NAPLEX first time pass rate is within 5% of state and national pass rates.
Outcome:
| Graduation Year | Gregory School of Pharmacy | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88.9% | 85.3% | 81.7% |
| 2022 | 80% | 82.5% | 77.4% |
| 2023 | 84.3% | 77.8% | 76.6% |
| 2024 | 77.1% | 76.4% | 77.5% |
Source: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Passing Rates for 2014-2024 Graduates
School of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing (BSN)
The NCLEX-RN is a national licensure exam required for licensure as an RN in all 50 states.
Goal: CCNE Accreditation minimum: 80%. PBA minimum goal: 84%. PBA aspirational goal: 95%
Outcome:
| Graduation Year | School of Nursing | National |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83.56% | 86.06% |
| 2022 | 77.78% | 82.32% |
| 2023 | 83.13% | 90.17% |
| 2024 | 97.18% | 91.92% |
Source: NCLEX Passage Rates
Goal #4
Average indebtedness for traditional undergraduate students will remain below that for other private, nonprofit graduates. (IO4)
Outcome:
Default Rate
| Fiscal Year | Default Rate |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.4% |
| 2020 | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.0% |
Average Undergraduate Student Loan Debt
| Year | Average PBA Undergraduate Student Loan Debt |
|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | $27,441 |
| 2019–2020 | $27,530 |
| 2020–2021 | $28,831 |
| 2021–2022 | $27,568 |
| 2022–2023 | $30,679 |
| 2023–2024 | $29,709 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics: College Navigator; Federal Student Aid NSLDS Official Cohort Default Rate Search; PBA Common Data Set
Updated 1/15/26