University of South Carolina – Columbia

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

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About University of South Carolina – Columbia

School Type:

Religious Affiliation: Not applicable

Status: Non-profit

Military Friendly: Yes

Accreditation: regional

The University of South Carolina – Columbia is a large public university located on an urban campus in Columbia, South Carolina. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 26,864, and admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 62%. The university offers 85 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 78%, and a student-faculty ratio of 18:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $12,288, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $33,528.

Columbia, SC

$12,288

Avg in-state
tuition

$33,528

Avg in-state
tuition

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Admissions Breakdown

62%

Acceptance Rate Insight

62% of students were accepted during the 2021-2022 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

87%

Retention Rate Insight

87% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2020 and returned in Fall 2021.

78%

Graduation Rate Insight

78% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2015. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scoresConsidered (not required)

High school transcriptRequired

High school rankRecommended

Letter of recommendationNot required or recommended

High school GPARequired

Open admissionNo

Completion of college prep programRequired

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL)Considered (not required)

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollmentYes

Credit for qualified life experience*Implied no

Advance placement (AP) creditsYes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

ACT 25th-75th Percentile26-31

SAT 25th-75th Percentile1150-1360

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

36k

Students enrolled

56%

Online student enrollment

18:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

OnlineCheck Bold
On-campusCheck Bold
HybridCheck Bold

Demographics

White

71%

Unknown

1%

Black

10%

Hispanic

5%

Two or more races

4%

Non-U.S. Citizen

5%

Asian

4%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0%

Socio-economic diversity

19% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

19%

Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Yes

Online Programs

28

Total Online Enrollment

20024

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

90% On-campus

10% Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

CertificatesX BoldNot offered

AssociateX BoldNot offered

Bachelor'sCheck Bold6% online

Graduate CertificateCheck Bold12% online

Master'sCheck Bold15% online

DoctorateCheck Bold6% online

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Student LevelIn-stateOut-of-state
Undergraduate$59,784$59,784
Graduate$54,672$54,672

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Costs to ConsiderPrice
Books and supplies$1200
On-campus room and board$17758
On-campus other expenses$2600
Off-campus (not with family) room and boardCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (not with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable

Total Undergraduate Cost

Total cost by categoryIn-stateOut-of-state
On-campus$81342$81342
Off-campus without family$60984$60984
Off-campus with family$60984$60984

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Federal Grant Aid

59%

State Grant Aid

57%

Institution Grant Aid

67%

Pell Grant

19%

Average Aid Awarded

Federal Grant Aid$2,332
State Grant Aid$5,342
Institution Grant Aid$3,235
Pell Grant Aid$4,937

Financial Outlook

$22k

Average student debtafter graduation

$44k

Average salary 6 years after starting school

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FCS

2%

of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.

Participation

MenWomen
  • All Track Combined
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Swimming Diving
  • Tennis
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Equestrian
  • Softball
  • Volleyball

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2021-2022 academic year.

#ProgramsBAMADoc
1AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, AND GENDER STUDIES.
2AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
3BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
4BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
5COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
6COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
7EDUCATION.
8ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
9ENGINEERING.
10ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
11ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
12FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
13HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED CLINICAL SCIENCES.
14HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
15HISTORY
16HISTORY.
17HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
18LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES.
19LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
20LIBRARY SCIENCE.
21MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
22NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
23PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, AND FITNESS STUDIES.
24PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, FITNESS, AND KINESIOLOGY.
25PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
26PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
27PSYCHOLOGY.
28PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
29SECURITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
30SOCIAL SCIENCES.
31VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2021-2022]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.