- The Inkwell
- South Carolina
- University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SCCity: midsizeZIP 29208Founded 1801
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1801
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral: very high research activity (R1)
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.sc.edu
- Member of
- APLU
South CarolinaPublic
University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public university in Columbia, South Carolina, with 29,820 undergraduates. It admits 60% of applicants, graduates 79% within six years and costs $22,197 a year after aid.
79%graduate
Admission rate60%
Retention92%
4-year graduation70%
Pell Grant share23%
Federal loans41%
$22,197net price / year
60%admission rate
1297average SAT
79%graduate in 6 years
$69,024median earnings, 10 yrs
$20,500median debt
#426 of 1,704 for earnings#1,036 of 1,739 for lowest net price#204 of 1,738 for graduation rate#371 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $32,193tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $12,688
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $37,376
- Average net price
- $22,197national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$13,832
$30,001–48,000$14,286
$48,001–75,000$17,357
$75,001–110,000$23,410
$110,001+$28,504
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 60%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1297
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 600–680
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 580–680
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 26–32
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college60%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college92%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college79%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college23%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 79%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 70%
- First-year retention
- 92%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 77%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $57,672
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $69,024middle 50%: $45,838–$101,912
- Median debt at graduation
- $20,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$101,912
Median, University of South Carolina-Columbia$69,024
Lower quarter$45,838
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 29,820
- Part-time
- 2.7%
- Women / men
- 59% / 41%
- Average age at entry
- 20.5
- First-generation students
- 20%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 23%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 19 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 75%
- Average faculty salary
- $12,414 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $14,139
- Endowment, end of year
- $776,513,396
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White72%
Hispanic6.8%
Black9.7%
Asian4.3%
Two or more races4.4%
U.S. nonresident1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown1.0%
23 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management26%
Health professions12%
Biological & biomedical sciences11%
Communication & journalism7.1%
Psychology6.3%
Computer & information sciences5.6%
Social sciences5.0%
Engineering4.7%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in South Carolina
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson University Clemson, SC | $22,032 | 88% | $79,064 |
| College of Charleston Charleston, SC | $18,177 | 65% | $63,018 |
| Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC | $15,287 | 54% | $54,702 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, SC | $15,680 | 43% | $53,988 |
| Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC | $16,375 | 52% | $49,727 |
| Lander University Greenwood, SC | $16,659 | 50% | $45,360 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | $22,508 | 76% | $70,727 |
| Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | $21,322 | 80% | $74,168 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA | $22,857 | 81% | $80,486 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO | $21,142 | 77% | $69,958 |
| University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY | $21,775 | 73% | $75,679 |
| Binghamton University Vestal, NY | $20,907 | 82% | $89,136 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 218663. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q1024426.