For many years, Texas Southern University in Houston was at or near the bottom in JBHE reports on student graduation rates at historically Black colleges and universities. But new data released by the university shows that some progress is being made.

For the most recent year, 23.4 percent of first-time freshman students earned a bachelor’s degree within six years. This was up from 17.2 percent in the prior year. Nearly 10 percent of first-time freshmen earned a bachelor’s degree in four years, up from 6.9 percent in the previous year.

The persistence rate – the percentage of first-year students who return to the university for their second year – is 57.4 percent. Two years ago it was 45.5 percent.

More than 1,000 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in 2017, up from 913 in 2015.

For students who graduated from the university’s pharmacy school, nearly 98 percent passed the state licensure examination, up from 89.7 percent in 2016.

Austin A. Lane, president of Texas Southern University, stated that “Texas Southern is dedicated to raising the University’s persistence and graduation rates. It is not just about numbers, but creating a smooth path for our students toward a baccalaureate degree. TSU is committed to elevating our society with strong graduates who can step into careers that will benefit the state of Texas, our nation and the world.”