University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public

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61.5%
Acceptance Rate
1270
Median SAT
$62,177
Median Earnings
46,682
Applicants

Acceptance Rate Trend

Down 1.6 percentage points since 2018

Applications & Admissions

Yield Rate Trend

Percentage of admitted students who enroll

Most Popular Majors (2023)

Degrees awarded in latest year

Major Popularity Over Time

How top majors have grown or declined

Earnings by Major

This school vs. national range (2yr after graduation)

Electrical, Electronics and Co... $71,854
$9,348 $155,297
International Business $70,776
$9,348 $155,297
Chemical Engineering $70,680
$9,348 $155,297
Mechanical Engineering $66,670
$9,348 $155,297
Computer Engineering $63,749
$9,348 $155,297
Management Sciences and Quanti... $62,848
$9,348 $155,297
Computer and Information Scien... $62,620
$9,348 $155,297
Registered Nursing, Nursing Ad... $60,405
$9,348 $155,297
This school National avg

Historical Admissions Data

Each row shows the admissions cycle for that academic year. Applicants is the total number of students who applied for freshman admission. Admitted shows how many received acceptance letters. Rate is the acceptance rate (admitted ÷ applicants) — lower percentages indicate more selective schools. Yield measures the percentage of admitted students who actually enrolled — a high yield (above 50%) suggests the school is a top choice for admitted students, while lower yields indicate students often choose other options. SAT shows the 25th-75th percentile range, meaning the middle 50% of enrolled students scored within this range. Data is sourced from IPEDS, the federal database where all US colleges report annually.

Year Applicants Admitted Rate Yield
2023 46,682 28,706 61.5% 25.5%
2022 42,188 27,022 64.0% 24.3%
2021 42,045 25,884 61.6% 23.8%
2020 34,957 23,894 68.3% 24.0%
2019 31,268 21,464 68.7% 29.3%
2018 30,889 19,480 63.1% 30.0%
2017 26,015 18,811 72.3% 31.3%
2016 25,057 17,073 68.1% 29.9%
2015 25,740 16,611 64.5% 31.3%

Graduate Outcomes

Median Earnings (10 years)
$62,177
Median Earnings (6 years)
$50,621
Median Debt
$21,500
6-Year Graduation Rate
77.8%

Tuition & Costs (2023)

In-State Tuition
$12,288
Out-of-State Tuition
$33,528
Fees
$400
Room & Board
$10,962
Total Cost of Attendance
$44,890

What You'll Actually Pay

Net price after grants/scholarships by family income

$0-30k income $14,421
$30-48k income $17,602
$48-75k income $22,744
$75-110k income $26,936
$110k+ income $29,493

Popular Majors

  • 1 Public Health
  • 2 Finance and Financial Management Services
  • 3 Biology, General
  • 4 Research and Experimental Psychology
  • 5 Health and Physical Education/Fitness

Highest Earning Majors

  • Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $71,854
  • International Business $70,776
  • Chemical Engineering $70,680
  • Mechanical Engineering $66,670
  • Computer Engineering $63,749

Student Demographics (2023)

Total Enrollment 36,579
International 5%
Women 59%
Race/Ethnicity
White 70%
Black 10%
Hispanic 6%
Asian 4%

Financial Aid (2023)

Grants are free money; loans must be repaid

Receive Grants 79%
Avg: $7,223 free money/year
Pell Grant Recipients 19%
Federal aid for <$60k income families
Have Federal Loans 42%
Avg: $6,342
School's Own Grants 71%
Avg: $2,982 from school funds