For a third consecutive year, UCF student-athletes are graduating at a higher rate than any other NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision public institution in the nation.

Based on data released by the NCAA Tuesday, UCF has an overall Graduation Success Rate of 93 percent. That mark puts the Knights in a tie with private institutions Vanderbilt and Tulane for the sixth-best mark in NCAA Division I FBS. The Knights trail only private institutions Notre Dame, Stanford, Northwestern, Duke and Boston College.

UCF’s rate of 93 is nine points above the national average of 84.

“The academic culture in our athletics department is second to none,” said Daniel J. White, UCF vice president and director of Athletics. “Our student-athletes, coaches, academic staff and administration share a common belief that the most important goal for our student-athletes at UCF should be graduation. We’re pretty proud of the company we’re keeping when you look at the schools around us in the rankings.”

Thirteen of UCF’s 14 programs (women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field are combined by the NCAA for the purposes of the graduation rate) are at or above the national average. Seven programs – women’s cross country/track and field, men’s golf, women’s golf, rowing, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and volleyball – delivered perfect scores of 100 percent. At 91 percent, the Knights’ football program ranks No. 7 in the nation among FBS schools and owns the second-best graduation rate among all FBS public institutions.

Twelve of UCF’s 14 programs came in at 90 percent or better. In Florida, UCF’s overall graduation rate of 93 is tops among all NCAA Division I institutions (including FBS and Football Championship Subdivision). Stetson ranks second at 92 percent.

Nine UCF programs boast the top score among FBS schools in Florida – baseball, football, men’s golf, women’s cross country/track and field, women’s golf, rowing, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and volleyball. Eight UCF squad – football, men’s golf, women’s cross country/track and field, women’s golf, rowing, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and volleyball – were ranked No. 1 in the American Athletic Conference.

“Our student-athletes work very hard every day, both athletically and academically,” said Eric Wood, senior associate athletic director for Academic Services. “There is a long-running culture of academic success that has been fostered by many UCF coaches and staff over the years. These strong graduation success rates are a testament to that culture and the effort put in by our student-athletes and academic support staff.”

The GSR data in this report includes student-athletes who first enrolled in 2009. The NCAA Graduation Success Rate is designed to show the proportion of student-athletes who earn a college degree.