Greenville County Schools achieves highest graduation rate in district history

The high school graduation rate for Greenville County Schools reached a record high in 2025.

The South Carolina Department of Education Report Cards revealed the total graduation rate for GCS increased to 90.6%, the highest in the school district’s history. The school district’s graduation rate has increased by a total of 18 points since 2012.

The annual report cards also showed that 85% of the 2025 graduating class met the markers for college and career readiness, an increase from the previous year. Superintendent Burke Royster said the results reflect the continued success of the school district’s Graduation Plus initiative. The districtwide initiative aims to ensure all high school graduates are college and career-ready.

“From early learning through high school, our students, staff, families and community partners are working together to ensure that every student graduates prepared for the next step – whether that’s college, career or military service,” Royster said. “These results affirm that our collective commitment to academic excellence and real-world readiness is making a lasting difference for students across Greenville County Schools.”

Elementary, middle and high schools in Greenville County receive a report card based on:

Academic achievement
Preparation for success
Student progress
Multilingual learners’ progress
School climate
Graduation rate (for high schools)
College and career readiness (for high schools)

According to the annual report cards, 97.7% of GCS schools earned an excellent, good or average rating for the 2024-25 school year. Two out of every five schools achieved the excellent designation.

The annual report cards showed that the average SAT and ACT standardized test scores for GCS students surpassed the state and national averages. The school district’s passage rates on Advanced Placement exams also increased to 72.7% in 2025.

For more information, visit greenville.k12.sc.us/News/main.asp?titleid=2511gradrate.

Graduation rate yearly comparison

Greenville County Schools