University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC
60.2%
Acceptance Rate
$12,688
Avg Cost (In-State)
$35,972
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
78.3%
Graduation Rate
29,820
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
December 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal essay required through Common App or Coalition App, 250-650 words
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$50,621
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,177
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
78%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $62,231 | $92,578 | 466 |
| Marketing. | $52,374 | $81,945 | 377 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $47,993 | $70,527 | 330 |
| Public Health. | $31,756 | $58,715 | 311 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $73,872 | $80,768 | 310 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | $42,974 | $65,248 | 264 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $68,597 | $84,720 | 251 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $35,781 | $50,847 | 246 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Calculate Your Cost at University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
South Carolina Mighty Sound of the Southeast Scholarship
$500-$2,500/yr
universityAudition-based award for USC Carolina Band 'Mighty Sound of the Southeast'.
Deadline: Spring tryouts
Learn more ↗Clemson Tiger Pride Scholarship
$2,500-$8,000/year
universityAutomatic for SC residents with top-percentile GPA + ACT/SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗SC HOPE Scholarship
Up to $2,800 (freshman year only)
stateSC HS grads with 3.0+ GPA not meeting LIFE/Palmetto Fellows; freshman year only at SC institutions.
Deadline: Auto-determined
Learn more ↗SC LIFE Scholarship
Up to $5,000/year ($7,500 for STEM)
stateSC HS grads with 2 of 3: 3.0 GPA, top 30%, or 1100 SAT/24 ACT, at SC public/private institutions.
Deadline: Auto-determined
Learn more ↗University of South Carolina McNair Scholars Program
Tuition + fees + research stipend + study-abroad
universityTop 40 incoming USC freshmen nationally; full ride + enrichment programs.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗University of South Carolina Carolina Scholarship
Up to full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop USC SC incoming freshmen via competitive McNair/Stamps/Capstone process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Clemson University Lyceum Scholars
$10,000/year + summer enrichment
universityTop Clemson incoming freshmen with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Coastal Community Foundation of SC Scholarships
$500-$10,000 across 100+ named funds
localHS seniors from 9-county Lowcountry SC region (Charleston / Beaufort / Berkeley).
Deadline: February
Learn more ↗Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Education Fund
$500-$2,500
localGullah/Geechee descendants from coastal NC/SC/GA/FL.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 60.2% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
60.15%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
19.1%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
19.5%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
16.7%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
92.2%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
78.8%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Columbus, OH
60.6% acceptance
Both admit around 61% of applicants, with 46k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, PA
60.6% acceptance
Both admit around 61% of applicants, with 42k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA
59.7% acceptance
Both admit around 60% of applicants, with 24k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
Daytona Beach, FL
57.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (58% vs 60%) but out-of-state cost runs $12k — meaningfully less than $36k.
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
67.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 60%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL
66.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (66% vs 60%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Reaches above this college
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (24% vs 60%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina-Columbia is already on your list.
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 60%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina-Columbia is already on your list.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 60%) — a stretch target if University of South Carolina-Columbia is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Delaware
Newark, DE
70.6% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (71% vs 60%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
71.5% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (72% vs 60%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of North Texas
Denton, TX
72.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but higher admit rate (72% vs 60%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From SC community colleges
articulation onlyUSC-Columbia has the South Carolina Transfer Block agreement and Bridge Program (with Midlands Technical College and three other technical colleges) that guarantees admission for students who complete a year at the partner college with 2.6+ GPA. The SC Tech Transfer pathway strea…
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