More selective than 76% 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 $31,638. College Scorecard.
Higher than 94% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 88% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 85% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 74% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of South Carolina-Columbia acceptance rate & admissions
Of 46,682 applicants, University of South Carolina-Columbia admitted 28,706 and 7,319 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1180–1360 on the SAT or 26–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of South Carolina-Columbia 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-Columbia costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia took 4.1 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 | $12,634 | $52,178 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 4.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (69% 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 ($62,177) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $28,661 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-Columbia majors, earnings & careers
University of South Carolina-Columbia offers 77 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 12
- Humanities & Languages · 12
- Science & Math · 12
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 12
- Engineering · 8
- Arts & Design · 6
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Communications & Media · 4
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Education · 2
Highest-earning majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $109,116 | $27,000 |
| International Business | $107,205 | $25,174 |
| Electrical Engineering | $100,042 | $27,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $98,244 | $27,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $98,020 | $22,922 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $97,927 | $26,000 |
| Insurance | $96,539 | $25,995 |
| Business Economics | $94,547 | $25,000 |
Quick list of all 77 majors
- Accounting$86,507
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$61,423
- Anthropology$42,758
- Applied Mathematics—
- Area Studies—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biochemistry$67,202
- Biology$58,669
- Biomedical Engineering$97,927
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$62,214
- Business Administration$70,527
- Business Economics$94,547
- Chemical Engineering$98,244
- Chemistry$58,462
- Civil Engineering$84,148
- Classics—
- Communications$53,247
- Computational Science—
- Computer and Information Sciences$84,720
- Computer Engineering$109,116
- Criminal Justice$50,847
- Dance$55,274
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$55,093
- Economics$77,536
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$43,687
- Education (Subject Teaching)$45,804
- Electrical Engineering$100,042
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- English$45,185
- Environmental Science / Conservation$50,447
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography$40,962
- Finance$92,578
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations$64,631
- Geography$59,472
- Geology / Earth Science$70,284
- German—
- History$45,595
- Hospitality Management$56,688
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Information Science / Studies—
- Insurance$96,539
- International Business$107,205
- International Relations$54,781
- Journalism$53,294
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$67,705
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$48,990
- Linguistics—
- Management Science / Analytics$98,020
- Marketing$81,945
- Mathematics$62,278
- Mechanical Engineering$91,296
- Medical Illustration and Informatics—
- Music$45,181
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$80,768
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Physiology$63,534
- Political Science$65,464
- Psychology$47,234
- Psychology (Research)$51,090
- Public Health$58,715
- Public Relations and Advertising$65,248
- Real Estate$84,558
- Religious Studies—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$49,401
- Sociology$53,293
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$39,517
- Theatre—
— 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 →Finance → Financial analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Living in Columbia
Overall prices in the Columbia, SC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,226. Housing costs 21% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 48 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Richland County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Richland County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of South Carolina-Columbia 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-Columbia | 60% | $22,811 | 79% | $62,177 | This school |
| College of Charleston | 60% | $18,960 | 66% | $56,416 | |
| Clemson University | 38% | $22,253 | 87% | $71,513 | |
| Medical University of South Carolina | — | — | — | $88,420 | |
| Coastal Carolina University | 75% | $13,966 | 48% | $47,258 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of South Carolina-Columbia would cost you $3,851 more per year than College of Charleston, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of South Carolina-Columbia, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$1,474).
- College of Charleston gives aided families $4,575 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, South Carolina resident | University of South Carolina-Columbia | College of Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,688 | $12,978 | −$290 |
| Books & supplies | $1,226 | $1,454 | −$228 |
| Housing & meals | $12,558 | $14,032 | −$1,474 |
| Personal & travel | $5,505 | $4,632 | +$873 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$339 | −$734 | +$395 |
| Sticker price | $31,638 | $32,362 | −$724 |
| Average grants | −$8,827 | −$13,402 | +$4,575 |
| You pay | $22,811 | $18,960 | +$3,851 |
“+” means University of South Carolina-Columbia 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-Columbia
What is the University of South Carolina-Columbia acceptance rate?
University of South Carolina-Columbia accepts 60% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 28,706 of 46,682 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1180–1360 on the SAT or 26–32 on the ACT.
How much does University of South Carolina-Columbia cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $31,638 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,811 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,634 and families earning $110k+ pay $28,125.
How much do University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates earn?
Former University of South Carolina-Columbia students earn a median $62,177 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-Columbia graduation rate?
79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 92% return for their second year.
How long does a University of South Carolina-Columbia degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of South Carolina-Columbia costs about $82,018 after grants ($19,859 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $62,177 ten years after starting, $28,661 more than high school graduates in South Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 2.9 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-Columbia: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).