Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC · Private · Midsize city · CHARLESTON SOUTHERN · CSU

Private institution in Charleston, SC · 2,716 undergraduates · 76% acceptance rate · $45,898 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $21,9551,269th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $31,0301,374th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $31,0301,295th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $43,9891,312th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $26,4711,543rd lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $45,8981,310th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $40,6061,187th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 48.6%1,221st highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 61.9%1,553rd highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 76.1%780th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1056812th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 21703rd highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 2,716754th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 13.0:1993rd smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 34.6%970th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 162 mi (CLT)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Most Selective Colleges in South Carolina#19

Applying

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $25
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 50 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Computer Science	bachelors	$67,101	—
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$56,579	$56,867
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$44,356	$46,589
Human Resources Management and ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$43,798	$36,674
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$38,289	$39,927
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation	bachelors	$37,478	—
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement	bachelors	$34,769	$37,568
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$33,224	$32,391
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$31,305	$33,993
Psychology, GeneralPsychology	bachelors	$29,685	$26,063
Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts	bachelors	$28,236	$32,284
Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness	bachelors	$26,739	$26,086

Campus facts

Religious affiliation: Baptistsource
Founded in 1964source
Athletic nickname: "Buccaneers"source
Buccaneer Field seats about 4,000source
Competes in NCAA Division Isource
School colors: #002855 and #A89968source
Mascot: Buckysource
Motto: "Integrating Faith in Learning, Leading and Serving"source
Campus size: about 300 acressource
Formerly known as "Baptist College of Charleston" (1960–1990)source
Athletic conference: Big Southsource
Notable alum: Tim Scottsource

Athletics — 9 sports + curated flag football

NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $6,625,540 (M $4,017,082 · W $2,608,458)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Women’s flag football is curated (not yet a stable EADA sport filter).