Clemson University
Clemson, SC · Public · Midsize suburb · Carnegie R1/R2
Public institution in Clemson, SC · 22,778 undergraduates · 38% acceptance rate · $71,513 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 4%Undergraduates
- Top 5%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 10%Full-time retention
- Top 10%Acceptance rate
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
- $22,1121,284th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $15,554979th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $39,4981,604th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $34,4941,088th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $21,500813th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $71,513257th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $58,311279th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 87.9%103rd highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 92.8%177th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 38.0%158th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1341147th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 3099th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 22,77893rd largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 16.0:11,471st smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 14.5%1,953rd highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 113 mi (CLT)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EAOct 15
- RDJan 1
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $70
- 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 67 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,435 | $74,721 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $70,370 | $69,079 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $70,009 | $67,995 |
| Industrial EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,338 | $68,592 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $67,212 | $66,673 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,593 | $67,101 |
| Engineering-Related FieldsEngineering Technology | bachelors | $64,245 | $66,206 |
| Biomedical/Medical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $63,430 | $61,516 |
| Information Science/StudiesComputer Science | bachelors | $63,342 | — |
| Materials EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $62,012 | $62,012 |
| Construction ManagementBusiness | bachelors | $61,516 | $61,020 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $60,736 | $58,919 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1889source
- Athletic nickname: "Tigers"source
- Memorial Stadium, Clemson seats about 81,500source
- Competes in Atlantic Coast Conferencesource
- School colors: Orangesource
- Campus size: about 1,400 acressource
- Formerly known as "Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina" (1889–1964)source
- Athletic conference: ACCsource
- A [[National Sea Grant College Program institutionsource
- A sea-grant]]}} institutionsource
- Football rivalry: Alabama–Clemson (since 1900)source
- Football rivalry: Auburn–Clemson (since 1899)source
- Plays for the "O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy" (since 1940)source
- Football rivalry: Clemson–Florida State (since 1970)source
- Football rivalry: Clemson–Georgia (since 1897)source
- Football rivalry: Clemson–Georgia Tech (since 1898)source
- Football rivalry: Palmetto Bowl (since 1896)source
- Plays for the "Textile Bowl" (since 1899)source
- Fight song: ""Tiger Rag (Clemson Fight Song)""source
- Notable alum: Nikki Haleysource
- Notable alum: Dolph Lundgrensource
- Notable alum: John Edwardssource
- Notable alum: James F. Byrnessource
- Notable alum: Strom Thurmondsource
Athletics — 12 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $14,689,315 (M $7,600,229 · W $7,089,086)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Soccer: 2023, 2021
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websiteclemson.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 217882)
- Compare colleges in SCRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in South CarolinaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Clemson University vs University of South Carolina-ColumbiaHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.