Charleston Southern University
Charleston, SC · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
96%Acceptance rate
$21,666Average net price / year
47%Graduation rate
$45,898Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$26,471Median debt at graduation
2,893Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $32,520
- Total cost of attendance
- $44,558
- Room & board
- $12,200
- Average net price
- $21,666
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $20,145
- $30–48k
- $23,024
- $48–75k
- $20,697
- $75–110k
- $21,648
- $110k+
- $23,226
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 96.5%
- Average SAT
- 1059
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 480–600
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 450–560
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 18–24
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 47%
- First-year retention
- 63%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $40,606
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $45,898
- Median debt (graduates)
- $26,471
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 34%
- Students with federal loans
- 48%
Programs: what graduates earn
22 of 82 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 80 | $66,310 | $29,750 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 45 | $64,920 | $25,343 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 20 | $40,612 | $27,323 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 22 | $40,478 | $26,092 |
| Psychology, General | 29 | $35,364 | $27,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 23 | $33,633 | $27,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 16 | $33,518 | $24,375 |
| Biology, General | 32 | $29,891 | $27,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 25 | $26,722 | $27,000 |
| Social Sciences, General | 16 | $23,797 | $24,700 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 19 | $34,518 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | 14 | $57,179 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 9 | $48,261 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 6 | $58,600 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 11 | $57,253 | — |
| Computer Science | 8 | $97,290 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 41 | $104,573 | $125,147 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 74 | $55,632 | $41,239 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 0 | $81,563 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 0 | $80,916 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 10 | $47,106 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 12 | $53,093 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 2,893
- Graduate students
- 884
- Part-time
- 6%
- Women / men
- 63% / 37%
- White
- 60%
- Hispanic
- 9%
- Black
- 18%
- Asian
- 1%
- International
- 3%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 12:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $58,707 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 58%
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Website
- www.charlestonsouthern.edu
- Also known as
- CSU|CHARLESTON SOUTHERN|
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 3% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 5% of degrees
- Education – 8% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 8% of degrees
- Parks, Recreation & Fitness – 7% of degrees
- Psychology – 7% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Charleston Southern University?
96.5% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1059 on the SAT.
How much does Charleston Southern University cost?
The average net price after grants is $21,666 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $32,520 and the full cost of attendance is $44,558.
How much do Charleston Southern University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $45,898 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
47% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Charleston
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Charleston Charleston, SC · Public · 10,558 students |
$18,960 | 60% | 66% | $56,416 |
| Trident Technical College Charleston, SC · Public · 10,512 students |
$1,406 | — | 30% | $38,253 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SC · Public · 2,705 students |
$20,723 | 23% | 75% | $72,085 |
| Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC · Public · 303 students |
— | — | — | $88,420 |
| American College of the Building Arts Charleston, SC · Private nonprofit · 155 students |
$30,403 | 44% | 62% | — |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute Charleston, SC · Private for-profit · 100 students |
$15,548 | — | 55% | $25,812 |
| Top of the Line Barber College Charleston, SC · Private for-profit · 45 students |
$19,078 | — | 23% | — |
| Vski Cosmetology School Charleston, SC · Private nonprofit · 31 students |
$10,578 | — | 80% | — |
| Charleston School of Law Charleston, SC · Private for-profit |
— | — | — | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.