University of South Carolina-Columbia

www.sc.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$12,288

2022 Average Net Price

$22,427

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0161%

on Student Loans

2022 Acceptance Rate

64.1%

42,188 Applicants

2022 Enrolled Students

35,653

89.6% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

78.3%

3,994 Graduates

About

University of South Carolina-Columbia is a higher education institution located in Richland County, SC. In 2022, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of South Carolina-Columbia were General Finance (608 degrees awarded), General Public Health (438 degrees), and General Biological Sciences (369 degrees).

In 2022, 10,045 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia. 56.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 43.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (7,454 degrees), 8.8 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (847 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $−17,862 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of South Carolina-Columbia was 0.0161%, corresponding to 1 out of the 6200 total borrowers.

Photo by William Yeung

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $17,862 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,427.

In 2022, 93% of undergraduate students attending University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 42% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$12,288

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia was $12,288. The cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $−17,862 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$22,427

2022 Value

2.42%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 University of South Carolina-Columbia had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $22,427. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of University of South Carolina-Columbia grew by 2.42%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,115

Room and Board

$1,085

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of South Carolina-Columbia was of $11,115 in 2022. The cost of room and board increased by 0.126% between 2021 and 2022.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,085. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

93%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

42%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

93% of undergraduate students at University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a growth of 13.4% with respect to 2021, when 82% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0161%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of South Carolina-Columbia was 0.0161%, which represents 1 out of the 6200 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of South Carolina-Columbia received 42,188 undergraduate applications in 2022, which represents a 0.34% annual growth. Out of those 42,188 applicants, 27,022 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 64.1% acceptance rate.

There were 35,653 students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2022. 33% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an overall enrollment yield of 24.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

64.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2022

27,022

Accepted Out of 42,188

In 2022, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of South Carolina-Columbia was 64.1% (27,022 admissions from 42,188 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 61.6%. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of applicants grew by 0.34%, while admissions grew by 4.4%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

33%

Submission Percentage (2022)

2,184

Scores Submitted (2022)

33% of enrolled first-time students at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2022 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of South Carolina-Columbia had a total enrollment of 35,653 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 31,941 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,712. This means that 89.6% of students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of South Carolina-Columbia, both undergraduate and graduate, is 69.6% White, 10% Black or African American, 5.38% Hispanic or Latino, 4.04% Asian, 3.96% Two or More Races, 0.149% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0645% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (41.6%), followed by White Male (31.5%) and Black or African American Female (5.18%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (35%), followed by White Male (22%) and Black or African American Female (7.83%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 35,653 students. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 31,941 and the part-time enrollment is 3,712. This means that 89.6% of students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia are enrolled full-time compared with 77.4% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

90%

2022 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of South Carolina-Columbia was 90%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of South Carolina-Columbia had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of South Carolina-Columbia (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
24,827 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,576 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,917 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 69.6% White, 10% Black or African American, 5.38% Hispanic or Latino, 4.04% Asian, 3.96% Two or More Races, 0.149% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0645% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 47.5% White, 15.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.58% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 613 students (1.72%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2022, 1,333 more women than men received degrees from University of South Carolina-Columbia. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white (7,454 degrees awarded). There were 8.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (847 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia is General Finance (608 degrees awarded), followed by General Public Health (438 degrees) and General Biological Sciences (369 degrees).

In 2022, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of South Carolina-Columbia, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (154 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (341 degrees), and Biology (796 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Accountants & auditors

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Accountants & auditors (1,034,841 people), Other managers (771,477 people), Financial managers (493,724 people), Physicians (412,717 people), and Chief executives & legislators (390,471 people).

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2022 are Library Science (154 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (341 degrees), Biology (796 degrees), Business (2,925 degrees), and Legal (200 degrees) (as of 2022).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Surgeons, Physicians, Nurse anesthetists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Library Science (154 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (341 degrees), Biology (796 degrees), Business (2,925 degrees), and Legal (200 degrees) (as of 2022).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (776,586 people), Elementary & secondary schools (658,496 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (597,168 people), Computer Systems Design (541,966 people), and Banking & related activities (483,738 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Most Common (2022)

General Finance
608 degrees awarded
General Public Health
438 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
369 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia was General Finance with 608 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,356

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2022

5,689

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2022

In 2022, 4,356 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia, which is 0.766 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,689).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2022, 442 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in General Finance, which is 2.66 times more than the 166 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2022, 359 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in General Public Health, which is 3.74 times more than the 96 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

65%

100% Completion Time

78%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 65% of students graduating from University of South Carolina-Columbia completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 78% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 79% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2022 at University of South Carolina-Columbia is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.401% of graduates (16 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
7,454 degrees awarded
Black or African American
847 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
460 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white (7,454 degrees awarded). There were 8.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (847 degrees).

0.717% of degree recipients (72 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
4,205 degrees awarded
White Male
3,249 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
573 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white female (4,205 degrees awarded). There were 1.29 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (3249 degrees).

Operations

University of South Carolina-Columbia employs 451 Associate professors, 446 Professors and 347 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Male Professor (295), Female Associate professor (227), and Male Associate professor (224).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia are: Management, with 1,048 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 699 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 451 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$137M - Federal
$118M - State
$366k - Local

As of 2022, University of South Carolina-Columbia received $137M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $118M from state grants and contracts, and $366k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$553M

2022 Salaries

1.82%

growth from 2021

In 2022, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a median of $553M in salaries, a 1.82% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.61% growth between 2020 and 2021, and a 2.11% growth between 2019 and 2020.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$168M

Instructional Salaries

1,543

Number of Employees

In 2022, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a total of $168M to 1,543 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $73.7M (30%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

451 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,048 Employees

In 2022, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia were Associate professor with 451 employees, Professor with 446 employees, and Assistant professor with 347 employees.

In 2022, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia were Management with 1,048 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 699 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 451 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2022)

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Associate professor

In 2022, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia was Male Professor with 295 employees, Female Associate professor with 227 employees, and Male Associate professor with 224 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of South Carolina-Columbia.

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