More selective than 38% of South Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,540. College Scorecard.
Higher than 26% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 25% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 53% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 28% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of South Carolina Aiken acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,905 applicants, University of South Carolina Aiken admitted 2,316 and 616 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 980–1220 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of South Carolina Aiken tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for South Carolina residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of South Carolina Aiken costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of South Carolina Aiken took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in South Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,987 | $40,262 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $8,435 | $37,789 | 3.1 years |
| $48–75k | $11,440 | $51,251 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $16,046 | $71,886 | 5.9 years |
| $110k+ | $17,502 | $78,409 | 6.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($45,603) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,087 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of South Carolina Aiken majors, earnings & careers
University of South Carolina Aiken offers 25 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of South Carolina Aiken
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $78,231 | $28,500 |
| Business Administration | $58,908 | $28,725 |
| Communications | $58,203 | $28,000 |
| Sociology | $49,530 | $28,750 |
| Biology | $45,363 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $45,163 | $27,000 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $43,728 | $24,776 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $43,178 | $30,975 |
Quick list of all 25 majors
- Applied Mathematics—
- Biology$45,363
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$58,908
- Chemistry—
- Communications$58,203
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$43,728
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$38,980
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Industrial Engineering—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$43,178
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Music—
- Nursing$78,231
- Political Science—
- Psychology$45,163
- Sociology$49,530
- Special Education—
- Studio Art$31,931
- Theatre—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Augusta
Overall prices in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,329. Housing costs 29% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 47 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Aiken County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Aiken County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of South Carolina Aiken with similar schools
Similar public colleges in South Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina Aiken | 79% | $11,641 | 40% | $45,603 | This school |
| South Carolina State University | 83% | $18,097 | 37% | $38,262 | |
| Lander University | 81% | $15,363 | 50% | $42,396 | |
| Francis Marion University | 86% | $11,386 | 43% | $43,888 | |
| Winthrop University | 79% | $15,343 | 57% | $47,185 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of South Carolina Aiken would cost you $6,456 less per year than South Carolina State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of South Carolina Aiken, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$4,900).
- South Carolina State University gives aided families $2,019 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, South Carolina resident | University of South Carolina Aiken | South Carolina State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,760 | $11,060 | −$300 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $2,000 | −$760 |
| Housing & meals | $8,736 | $9,000 | −$264 |
| Personal & travel | $3,100 | $8,000 | −$4,900 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,296 | −$45 | −$2,251 |
| Sticker price | $21,540 | $30,015 | −$8,475 |
| Average grants | −$9,899 | −$11,918 | +$2,019 |
| You pay | $11,641 | $18,097 | −$6,456 |
“+” means University of South Carolina Aiken costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of South Carolina Aiken
What is the University of South Carolina Aiken acceptance rate?
University of South Carolina Aiken accepts 79% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,316 of 2,905 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 980–1220 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
How much does University of South Carolina Aiken cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,540 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,641 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,987 and families earning $110k+ pay $17,502.
How much do University of South Carolina Aiken graduates earn?
Former University of South Carolina Aiken students earn a median $45,603 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of South Carolina Aiken graduation rate?
40% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year.
How long does a University of South Carolina Aiken degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of South Carolina Aiken costs about $51,251 after grants ($11,440 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,603 ten years after starting, $12,087 more than high school graduates in South Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 4.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of South Carolina Aiken: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-aiken (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).