About 90 percent of South Korean college graduates in 2011 obtained an average grade of B or higher, with public university graduates scoring better than their counterparts in private schools, a report showed Friday.

According to the report jointly published by the education ministry and the Korean Council for University Education, 34.2 percent of graduates of four-year-course colleges received an A, while 55.2 percent received a B, bringing their sum to 89.4 percent.

The report, published online, was based on a survey of graduates of 182 colleges last year.

In 2010, 90.9 percent of college graduates obtained a grade of B or higher.

Public universities produced more graduates with grades in that range, at 93.9 percent, while private institutions recorded 88.2 percent, the report said.

The survey also revealed regional differences, with schools outside the capital area recording an average of 92.9 percent, compared to 87.6 percent among colleges in the capital area.

Graduates who majored in education were the most likely to receive grades in that range, at 95.6 percent, followed by the humanities at 91.6 percent, sciences at 89.9 percent, social sciences at 89.5 percent, engineering at 87.7 percent, and arts and physical education at 86.9 percent, the report said.

Meanwhile, only 72.9 percent of enrolled students last year obtained an average of B or higher. This was likely due to graduating students retaking classes and working harder in their final year to improve their chances at employment and further education, the education ministry said.