University of South Carolina-Columbia

www.sc.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$12,288

2024 Average Net Price

$24,488

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

60.2%

52,703 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

38,532

90.6% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

78.8%

4,600 Graduates

About

University of South Carolina-Columbia is a higher education institution located in Richland County, SC. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of South Carolina-Columbia were General Finance (493 degrees awarded), General Public Health (402 degrees), and Experimental Psychology (391 degrees).

In 2024, 9,808 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia. 57.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,901 degrees), 7.62 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (906 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $−19,632 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Photo by William Yeung

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $19,632 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,488.

In 2024, 80% of undergraduate students attending University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 41% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$12,288

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia was $12,288. The cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $−19,632 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

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

Average Net Price

$24,488

2024 Value

6.06%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 University of South Carolina-Columbia had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,488. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of University of South Carolina-Columbia grew by 6.06%.

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

$11,899

Room and Board

$1,226

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of South Carolina-Columbia was of $11,899 in 2024. The cost of room and board decreased by 3.15% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,226. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 6.55% 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

80%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

41%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

80% of undergraduate students at University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 1.27% with respect to 2023, when 79% 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.

Admissions

University of South Carolina-Columbia received 52,703 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 12.9% annual growth. Out of those 52,703 applicants, 31,701 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 60.2% acceptance rate.

There were 38,532 students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2024. 29% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an overall enrollment yield of 22.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

60.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

31,701

Accepted Out of 52,703

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of South Carolina-Columbia was 60.2% (31,701 admissions from 52,703 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 61.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 12.9%, while admissions grew by 10.4%.

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

29%

Submission Percentage (2024)

2,141

Scores Submitted (2024)

29% of enrolled first-time students at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2024 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 38,532 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 34,893 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,639. This means that 90.6% 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 68.9% White, 10.4% Black or African American, 6.29% Hispanic or Latino, 4.11% Two or More Races, 4.06% Asian, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0623% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (42.9%), followed by White Male (29.8%) and Black or African American Female (5.71%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (34.1%), followed by White Male (21.9%) and Black or African American Female (7.11%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 38,532 students. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 34,893 and the part-time enrollment is 3,639. This means that 90.6% of students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% 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

92%

2024 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 92%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), 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 (2024)

White
26,532 enrolled students
Black or African American
4,019 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
2,423 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 68.9% White, 10.4% Black or African American, 6.29% Hispanic or Latino, 4.11% Two or More Races, 4.06% Asian, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0623% 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 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% 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, 648 students (1.68%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 1,494 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 (6,901 degrees awarded). There were 7.62 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (906 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia is General Finance (493 degrees awarded), followed by General Public Health (402 degrees) and Experimental Psychology (391 degrees).

In 2024, 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 (174 degrees awarded), Biology (771 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (299 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 (1,044,004 people), Other managers (954,721 people), Financial managers (558,571 people), Chief executives & legislators (469,256 people), and Physicians (434,065 people).

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2024 are Library Science (174 degrees awarded), Biology (771 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (299 degrees), Communications (446 degrees), and Business (2,756 degrees) (as of 2024).

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, Chief executives & legislators, Physicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Skincare specialists

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Library Science (174 degrees awarded), Biology (771 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (299 degrees), Communications (446 degrees), and Business (2,756 degrees) (as of 2024).

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 (917,151 people), Elementary & secondary schools (872,349 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (757,556 people), Computer Systems Design (725,245 people), and Banking & related activities (493,911 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 (2024)

General Finance
493 degrees awarded
General Public Health
402 degrees awarded
Experimental Psychology
391 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia was General Finance with 493 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

4,157

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

5,651

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 4,157 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia, which is 0.736 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,651).

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 2024, 356 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in General Finance, which is 2.6 times more than the 137 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 357 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in General Public Health, which is 5.17 times more than the 69 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

69%

100% Completion Time

78%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 69% 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.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (87.6%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at University of South Carolina-Columbia is Female and Asian (87.6% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

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, 0.544% of graduates (25 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
6,901 degrees awarded
Black or African American
906 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
509 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white (6,901 degrees awarded). There were 7.62 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (906 degrees).

1.65% of degree recipients (162 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
4,388 degrees awarded
White Female
4,337 degrees awarded
White Female
4,276 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white female (4,388 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (4,337 degrees).

Operations

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an endowment valued at nearly $777M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 23.4M (3.01%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, University of South Carolina-Columbia had a total salary expenditure of 1.43B. University of South Carolina-Columbia employs 496 Professors, 430 Associate professors and 350 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Male Professor (312), Female Associate professor (220), and Male Associate professor (210).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia are: Management, with 1,073 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 651 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 475 employees.

Endowment

$777M

2024 Endowment

8.16%

growth from 2023

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an endowment valued at about $777M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of University of South Carolina-Columbia grew 8.16% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $524M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$178M - Federal
$125M - State
$705k - Local

As of 2024, University of South Carolina-Columbia received $178M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $125M from state grants and contracts, and $705k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$647M

2024 Salaries

9.35%

growth from 2023

In 2024, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a median of $647M in salaries, which represents 45.2% of their overall expenditure ($1.43B) and a 9.35% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.98% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 1.82% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$191M

Instructional Salaries

1,625

Number of Employees

In 2024, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a total of $191M to 1,625 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia were Management with 1,073 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 651 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 475 employees.

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