The U.S. Department of Education released graduation rates for 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. These rates reflect the on time graduation rate, i.e., students who graduate in four years.

Here are the results for North Carolina:

2002-2003

U.S. graduation rate: 73.9
Graduation rate: 70.1
State+DC rank: 40th out of 51

2003-2004

U.S. graduation rate: 75.0
Graduation rate: 71.4
State+DC rank: 37th out of 49 (WI and NY not included)

Southern states did not fare well. Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina had lower graduation rates than North Carolina. Midwestern states had the best graduation rates, most of which graduated over 80 percent of their students on time.