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University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public · Midsize city · Carnegie R1/R2 · USCC

Public institution in Columbia, SC · 28,113 undergraduates · 61% acceptance rate · $62,177 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
$24,5321,443rd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$12,688810th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$34,9341,421st cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Cost of attendance
$32,8401,030th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
Median graduate debt
$21,500807th lowest of 1,865 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$62,177463rd highest of 1,954 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$50,621504th highest of 1,950 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
77.8%248th highest of 2,014 reporting
Full-time retention
90.7%220th highest of 1,837 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
61.5%424th most selective of 1,596 reporting
Average SAT
1297198th highest of 1,022 reporting
Median ACT
29132nd highest of 952 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates
28,11361st largest of 2,144 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
18.0:11,696th smallest of 2,141 reporting
Pell Grant share
19.0%1,759th highest of 2,122 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 84 mi (CLT)

On 3 of our 111 lists

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

Applying

Common App member
Yes
Application fee
$65
Personal essay
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 75 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Computer EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$71,854$63,749
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$69,617$71,854
Chemical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$66,001$70,680
International BusinessBusinessbachelors$65,916$70,776
Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$64,629$66,670
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusinessbachelors$62,661$62,848
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Sciencebachelors$62,012$62,620
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professionsbachelors$59,066$60,405
Business/Managerial EconomicsBusinessbachelors$58,970$55,964
Civil EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$58,796$60,325
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusinessbachelors$55,819$55,190
InsuranceBusinessbachelors$54,855$55,964

Campus facts

Athletics — 12 sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $13,759,918 (M $6,953,077 · W $6,806,841)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.

Nearest undergraduate enrollment to University of South Carolina-Columbia’s 28,113 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.

In SC

Elsewhere