More selective than 34% 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 $30,710. College Scorecard.
Higher than 71% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 56% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 59% of South Carolina colleges we cover and 32% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Winthrop University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,858 applicants, Winthrop University admitted 4,397 and 867 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–27 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Winthrop University 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 Winthrop University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Winthrop University took 4.2 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 | $12,608 | $52,701 | 3.9 years |
| $30–48k | $12,983 | $54,269 | 4.0 years |
| $48–75k | $13,966 | $58,378 | 4.3 years |
| $75–110k | $18,518 | $77,405 | 5.7 years |
| $110k+ | $21,359 | $89,281 | 6.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (51% 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 ($47,185) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,669 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.
Winthrop University majors, earnings & careers
Winthrop University offers 36 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Technology & Computing · 5
- Education · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
Highest-earning majors at Winthrop University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $61,987 | $27,000 |
| Chemistry | $60,324 | $26,037 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $54,194 | $29,917 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $52,363 | $28,000 |
| Biology | $50,536 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $49,080 | $27,000 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $48,702 | $27,000 |
| Communications | $48,303 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 36 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$52,363
- Biology$50,536
- Business Administration$61,987
- Chemistry$60,324
- Communications$48,303
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Programming—
- Computer Science—
- Dance—
- Data Science—
- Economics—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$44,487
- Education (Subject Teaching)$43,069
- English$44,068
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$48,702
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$54,194
- History$41,343
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Information Technology—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$49,080
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other—
- Political Science$43,566
- Psychology$43,365
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Social Work$46,548
- Sociology$47,178
- Special Education$44,766
- Studio Art$37,440
- Theatre$40,948
— 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
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Charlotte
Overall prices in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,785. Housing costs 2% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, York County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
York County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Winthrop University 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winthrop University | 79% | $15,343 | 57% | $47,185 | This school |
| Lander University | 81% | $15,363 | 50% | $42,396 | |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | 79% | $11,641 | 40% | $45,603 | |
| South Carolina State University | 83% | $18,097 | 37% | $38,262 | |
| Francis Marion University | 86% | $11,386 | 43% | $43,888 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Winthrop University would cost you $20 less per year than Lander University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Winthrop University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$2,978).
- Winthrop University gives aided families $3,453 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, South Carolina resident | Winthrop University | Lander University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $14,678 | $11,700 | +$2,978 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $10,488 | $10,700 | −$212 |
| Personal & travel | $3,608 | $4,470 | −$862 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | +$736 | −$793 | +$1,529 |
| Sticker price | $30,710 | $27,277 | +$3,433 |
| Average grants | −$15,367 | −$11,914 | −$3,453 |
| You pay | $15,343 | $15,363 | −$20 |
“+” means Winthrop University 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 Winthrop University
What is the Winthrop University acceptance rate?
Winthrop University accepts 79% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,397 of 5,858 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–27 on the ACT.
How much does Winthrop University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $30,710 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,343 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,608 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,359.
How much do Winthrop University graduates earn?
Former Winthrop University students earn a median $47,185 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Winthrop University graduation rate?
57% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 74% return for their second year.
How long does a Winthrop University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Winthrop University costs about $58,378 after grants ($13,966 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,185 ten years after starting, $13,669 more than high school graduates in South Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 4.3 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: “Winthrop University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/winthrop-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).